Exploring the Purpose of Root Canals

The majority of cases of dental issues treated in dentistry have to do with dental decay. It is the leading cause of premature tooth loss among both children and adults. While there are restorative dental solutions for managing tooth loss, there is a better route. Instead of having your diseased tooth extracted, you can save your natural tooth by undergoing a root canal near Scarsdale, NY.

Root canal procedures are either performed by endodontists or dentists in Scarsdale, NY. Although the treatment is common in dentistry, there is a lot about it that many people do not know.

What Is A Root Canal?

It is a dental procedure in endodontic dentistry performed on the inside of a tooth to treat it. The treatment focuses on the inner soft tissue of the tooth, called the pulp chamber.

The pulp houses the connective tissues, blood vessels, and nerve endings of a tooth. These components are necessary for nourishing teeth as they grow. Once the tooth is fully mature, however, it can survive without the inner soft tissue. As long as it is connected to the jawbone of your mouth, a treated tooth can get nourishment from surrounding tissues

How Are Root Canals Performed?

First, your attending endodontist examines your oral cavity to determine the severity of your infection. Extremely advanced infections on your teeth cannot be treated with root canal procedures. Such is best handled by extracting them. If your infection is within the reasonable measure of severity to allow for a root canal procedure, the following steps will be taken to treat your diseased tooth:

1. Sedation – anesthesia is necessary to numb your mouth before the treatment, to ensure a pain-free process. A dentist will use other sedative medication to help you remain still and calm throughout the treatment.
2. Drilling – it is the process of making a tiny hole on your tooth that will be the access point to the insides thereof. The small hole will be big enough to allow the penetration of dental tools to the pulp of your tooth for treatment.
3. Cleaning – is executed with the main intent of removing the pulp. The dental tools employed will suck out all the bacteria and infection in the diseased tooth. This step will also involve removing the connective tissues, blood vessels, nerve endings, and other soft tissues that may be infected in the pulp of your tooth.
4. Disinfection and shaping – once the pulp contents have been removed, the dentist will use an antibiotic to disinfect inside your tooth and ensure that it is cleaned of all bacteria. Afterward, your dentist will use special tools to shape the inside of your tooth before filling it.
5. Filling and sealing – a rubber-like material called gutta-percha is used to fill the tooth, replacing the removed pulp. Once the filling is in place, the tooth is sealed with a special dental paste, preventing the re-entry of bacteria inside the tooth.
6. Crowning – immediately after the procedure, a temporary dental crown is placed. It helps hold and secure your tooth as you recover. If your dentist determines that you need a permanent crown installed, then it will be created based on the impressions of your teeth.

When Is A Root Canal Needed?

Root canals near you are only performed when the inner part of your tooth called the pulp is either inflamed, injured, or infected. The primary purpose of root canals is to save natural teeth by removing the damaged part of the diseased tooth. The endodontic procedure of treating the damaged pulp of your tooth is performed on patients who have any of the following oral problems:

1. Deep dental decay – always starts with a dental cavity. When left untreated for a long time, it develops into dental decay that becomes severe with time.
2. The aftermath of multiple dental procedures on the same tooth – can leave a tooth very sensitive, suffering an injury on the inside.
3. A break, crack or chip on your tooth – while not all cracks necessitate root canals In Scarsdale, NY, some of the damage the insides of the tooth, leaving you with severe tooth pain.
4. Injured tooth – sometimes you have no physical external evidence of the damage of your tooth. After a traumatic injury on your mouth, the pulp of your tooth can get inflamed as a consequence of the injury, necessitating a root canal in 10583.