Root
Canal
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Root Canal
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Opalesence Whitening & Da Vinci Veneers/Crowns
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Prior to recent advances in medicine, damage to the
core of a tooth usually meant its quick removal. The modern solution
is a root canal, known in the medical community as endodontic treatment.
This procedure usually involves several trips to the dentist and
is performed in the dentist's chair. A root canal procedure cleans,
disinfects, and refills the interior of the tooth, thereby preventing
serious pain and permanent damage to decayed teeth.
Why It Happens
A root canal is usually performed on a cracked tooth or a tooth
with a deep interior cavity. If a root canal is not performed, bacteria
is able to enter the core of the tooth (the pulp) and cause decay
of the nerve, tissue, and blood vessels in the tooth's canal(s).
If left untreated, the diseased tooth may become extremely sensitive
to heat and cold, may throb, or may even cause infection in the
jawbone (an abscess).
The Surgery
During the surgical portion of a root canal, the decayed tooth is
first anesthetized. A hole is made through the crown of the tooth,
down into the pulp. The surgeon uses tiny metal instruments to extract
the remaining pulp from the tooth, and thoroughly cleans and disinfects
the canal. If the tooth canal is twisted, the surgeon may have to
enter the tooth through the gums to remove the difficult-to-reach
pulp. Once cleaned out, the canal is re-shaped to allow the surgeon
to easily and completely fill the interior of the tooth. The canal
is filled with a rubberized inert material that helps prevent future
infection. A temporary seal protects the tooth until the patient
can return to the dentist's office. A permanent metal pin may be
attached to the root of the tooth to provide long term structural
support.
On your follow-up visit, the temporary sealing is
removed and a permanent crown or veneer is fitted on the tooth to
permanently protect.
Health Risks
Although a root canal is a common procedure, complications may occur.
These include bleeding, soreness in the jaw, infection, and a reaction
to the anesthesia. Occasionally, the tiny metal instruments used
to clean the canal break off inside the tooth. Although the surgeon
can usually recover them, they may have to be permanently sealed
up within the tooth, where they pose a very small chance of future
infection. If the tooth is unable to be properly cleaned, or if
bacteria has damaged the tooth beyond repair, the surgeon may have
to extract the tooth. In order to maximize surgical success, always
follow your dentist's specific pre and postoperative instructions.
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