Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid Of Root Canals

Dentist Blog

Hearing that you need to get a root canal can be incredibly scary. You have probably heard many things about how painful and miserable root canals are. However, the truth of the matter is that a root canal is short, relatively painless, and extremely necessary. To help assuage your fears, here is an overview of how a root canal actually works and why you shouldn't be concerned.

What is the goal of a root canal?

A root canal removes infected dental pulp. The pulp is the innermost part of the tooth that surrounds your dental nerves. If an infection penetrates the protective enamel that surrounds your tooth, then it can work its way into the dental pulp. If the infection continues to spread, then it can reach the gums and the nerves, which means that you will be in absolutely excruciating pain. If you need a root canal, then you are likely already in quite a bit of pain. However, this pain will get much worse if it does reach the nerves.

Once your doctor has diagnosed that you have an infection of the dental pulp, they will schedule a root canal, either immediately or in the very near future.

How does a root canal work?

First of all, you will be given the option to take some form of anesthetic for the short term pain and you will likely be given some painkillers afterwards. The dentist will then begin working on the tooth in question and remove the sections of the tooth have been compromised. Once all the infected pulp has been removed, then the root canal is effectively over.

However, you will then likely need a crown to replace the missing portion of the tooth. If you do not get a crown, then there is a very high chance that you could get another infection, since there will be no protection for the remaining pulp and nerve endings.

 What does it mean to get a crown?

Getting a crown after a root canal is a fairly simple process. Crowns actually require a couple of weeks to be created and ready for use, so you will actually need a temporary solution to keep your teeth protected in the meantime.

Right after the root canal, your dentist will take some measurements and imprints of the partial tooth. This will be used to create a temporary crown to be immediately fitted at the dentist's, and also to create a real crown that will be fitted later. A couple of weeks after your measurements have been taken, you can return to your dentist to have the temporary crown removed and the final crown fitted. For more information, contact offices like Washington Township Dental Associates.

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16 September 2015

Mouth Rinses Are Not Just for Bad Breath

I have always brushed and flossed my teeth daily, but I still had the occasional cavity when I visited the dentist for a check-up. He told me it was normal to have a cavity on occasion and that I shouldn't let it stress me out too much. Well, I am not one to just accept any problem I am having, so I started looking into how to improve my oral hygiene even more. I had always thought mouthwash was just to improve your breath, but I found some that said they helped keep cavities away. I started using one every day before bed. I haven't had a cavity in two years now, and I think the mouth rinse is the reason! I created this blog to remind other people that even if they brush and floss regularly, they can always find ways to take even better care of their teeth.