Root Canal Therapy Guide: Why is It Necessary, and How Is the Procedure Performed?
Root canal therapy is a common dental procedure, but not many people know what it entails or why they should get one. Let’s take a look at the process of getting root canal therapy in Oshawa, ON.
What is Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is a dental procedure that can be completed in one visit or over several visits. The process involves removing the inflamed pulp from the tooth and covering it with a dental crown.
Endodontic therapy is necessary when there are signs that the tooth’s pulp has become inflamed or infected. The most common symptoms include sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, pain from chewing food, and tenderness to the touch.
Why is Root Canal Therapy Necessary?
A root canal is a space within a tooth that contains the pulp. It has three main purposes:
- It provides blood and nutrients to the living tissue inside your teeth
- It protects your chewing surface from becoming brittle or chipping off
- Its nerve endings can sense hot and cold for you to be able to feel what you eat.
However, tooth decay can lead to an infection of the root canal, and if left untreated, it may cause pain and discomfort for a patient and long-term complications such as bone loss. Once this occurs, an infected tooth will need endodontic treatment to save the tooth and prevent the infection from spreading.
The Process of Root Canal Therapy
Endodontic therapy is a dental procedure that can save your natural teeth. The process usually involves removing the diseased pulp tissue from within the tooth and then filling it to prevent decay or infection in surrounding areas of bone, which hold up the crowns and fillings on our teeth.
Our root canal dentist may prescribe antibiotic treatments to help prevent infection or pain medication for a few days.
If you don’t get dental endodontics, you may experience severe toothaches and infections from bacteria spreading through the root canal system in their jaw bone. This can cause gum disease and severe damage to the tooth, leading to extraction.
What to Expect Before and After a Root Canal Therapy?
After the root canal treatment procedure, you can expect soreness, swelling, bleeding, and pain. The dentist in Oshawa, ON will prescribe medication to ease the pain and prevent bacterial infection.
But, it is recommended that you avoid strenuous activities after the procedure. Also, eat soft and less chewy foods to avoid hurting or bruising the gum.
Root canal therapy aftercare is vital to your recovery as it helps reduce the soreness and pain and avoid any complications.
The best way to keep your mouth clean during this time is to use warm salt water. Salt also can remove bacteria and ease the discomfort. This will protect against infections while rinsing out food particles which can lead to additional pain.
It is crucial to follow a strict oral hygiene routine during and after root canal therapy so that you can avoid any infections or discomfort in the future.
Here are some helpful tips for your Root Canal Therapy post-op care:
- Brush teeth with good brushing technique, at least twice a day (morning and evening), and Floss once a day, if possible.
- Rinse mouth with warm salt water (or other antimicrobial rinses) after meals or snacks and at bedtime
- Avoid acidic foods such as citrus fruits that can irritate the tooth nerve ending and cause pain during eating
- Take any prescribed medications to alleviate discomfort when necessary but don’t overuse them
- Drink plenty of water to keep the mouth moist and avoid dryness that can lead to more pain
Can Root Canal Therapy Fail?
The risks of root canal therapy are few as long as the dentist in Oshawa, ON has followed all of Root Canal Therapy’s steps and best practices. However, the treatment may fail, and reinfection can occur. In such a case, the dentist may perform an emergency root canal treatment to remove the canals.
Schedule an Appointment
Visit Conlin Dentistry for more information about root canal therapy and what you can expect during the procedure.