Why Your Dentist Might Recommend a Root Canal Procedure

While a root canal is a viable remedy, good oral hygiene and regular checkups can prevent you from needing one. Dentists are in the business of saving teeth. For that reason, dental professionals do everything possible to avoid pulling one. In many cases, this procedure is what salvages a person’s natural tooth.

What does a root canal do?

In summary, a root canal is a type of treatment that repairs and saves a permanent tooth. For this, a dentist or endodontist numbs the patient’s mouth and then drills a small hole in the tooth. Next, the dentist removes the pulp, which consists of blood vessels and nerves. After disinfecting the space, the dental professional then caps the tooth with a crown. When finished, the tooth looks and functions normally.

Reasons for needing this procedure

If a patient visits a dental office complaining of pain, swelling or hot/cold sensitivity, the dentist may need to perform a root canal. After taking X-rays and performing an examination, they make the appropriate determination. Unlike what most people think, this treatment is not painful. Most patients experience a little discomfort, if at all.

The main reason a dentist would recommend a root canal is for tooth that became diseased or damaged. Sometimes, poor oral hygiene is the cause of this. Other times, it has to do with an accident. Regardless, this dental procedure corrects the problem.

A dentist removes the pulp from inside the involved tooth as part of the root canal procedure. This is extremely important. Otherwise, the damaged pulp breaks down, causing bacteria to form and multiply. That means the tooth would likely become infected or abscessed. If not treated, the infection could spread to other surrounding teeth.

By removing any infected debris during a root canal, the patient avoids swelling of the head, face and neck. This also eliminates the risk of losing bone around the tip of the root. At the same time, the root canal fixes any drainage problem. With infection, pus develops. If the patient has a slight crack or chip, it could leak, ending up on the bloodstream.

Signs of needing a root canal

When contacting a dental clinic, someone asks the patient initial questions. These include any unusual signs. That information helps the dentist prepare for doing a root canal. The most common signs of trouble include pain when chewing, extreme sensitivity to hot and cold and darkening of the tooth. An individual might also develop pimples on the gums and have swelling.

The one thing that people need to remember is that most problems are easy fixes. If an individual has a cavity, the dentist would fill it. The real issues occur when people do not seek dental care as soon as they have a problem. By waiting too long, there is a good chance of them needing a root canal.

Do not delay

There is nothing to worry about when having a root canal. If your dentist recommends this procedure, you can feel confident that it will help. Not only will it eliminate your pain but also save your tooth. This highly successful treatment is commonly used to help people dealing with any of the issues mentioned.

Request an appointment here: https://beniciadentist.com or call Southampton Dental Care at (707) 887-5075 for an appointment in our Benicia office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.