A root canalThe portion of the pulp cavity inside the root of a tooth; the chamber within the root of the tooth that contains the pulp., what is it?
A root canal is dental treatment that is needed when the nerve of your tooth has become infected. The infection can be caused by poor dental hygiene, whether that be consuming too many sugary foods or drinks, not brushing and flossing regularly or not visiting your dentist at least twice a year. You can generally notice whether you need a root canal if your tooth has become more sensitive, if the gums are swelling or if you are suffering from severe pain in the tooth.
Once decayThe lay term for carious lesions in a tooth; decomposition of tooth structure. reaches an advanced stage, it will start to involve the nerve of the tooth. This can cause a great deal of pain and consequently, the pulpConnective tissue containing blood vessels and nerve tissue which occupies the pulp cavity of a tooth. needs to be removed. Once the infected pulp has been removed the tooth is disinfected and cleaned. Once the surgery is complete, you will be able to return to eating and drinking without worrying about pain or further infection spreading.
Root canal treatment is designed to deal with the infection and helps to save the tooth. Additionally, from a financial perspective, it is cheaper to have the root canal treatment early and avoid more costly options such as a dental implantA device specially designed to be placed surgically within or on the mandibular or maxillary bone as a means of providing for dental replacement; endosteal (endosseous); eposteal subperiosteal); trans, if the tooth must be extracted.
Whilst many people worry about a root canal, please bear in mind that thousands of people have the surgery every year in the UK, and with the anaesthesia, you are given it is not going to be a painful procedure. RootThe anatomic portion of the tooth that is covered by cementum and is located in the alveolus (socket) where it is attached by the periodontal apparatus; radicular portion of tooth. canals can cause some concern, so feel free to ask your dentist about the surgery in advance and make sure to catch any issues early by booking check-up appointments a few times a year.
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