Gentle Dentistry

In the past, root canals have had a bad reputation of being painful. In reality, most people say that the time spent worrying before the root canal is the most uncomfortable time. The procedure itself is no more uncomfortable than getting a tooth filled.

A root canal is often advised when there is:

1. Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure
2. Prolonged sensitivity/pain to heat or cold temperatures (after the hot or cold has been removed)
3. Discoloration (a darkening) of the tooth
4. Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums
5. A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums

However, sometimes no symptoms are present
 
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed, infected or the pulp becomes damaged. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.
 
The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the center of the tooth. The tooth's nerve lies within root canals, which lie within the roots or "legs" of the tooth. The root canals travel from the tip of the tooth's root into the pulp chamber, which also contains blood vessels and connective tissue that nourish the tooth.
 
A tooth's nerve function is sensory -- to provide the sensation of hot or cold. The presence or absence of a nerve will not affect the day-to-day functioning of the tooth.
 
When nerve tissue or pulp is damaged, it breaks down and bacteria begin to multiply within the pulp chamber. The bacteria and other decayed debris can cause an infection or abscessed tooth. An abscess is a pus-filled pocket that forms at the end of the roots of the tooth. An abscess occurs when the infection spreads all the way past the ends of the roots of the tooth.
In addition to an abscess, an infection in the root canal of a tooth can cause:

• Swelling that may spread to other areas of the face, neck, or head
• Bone loss around the tip of the root
• Drainage problems extending outward from the root - which can cause a hole occuring through the side of the tooth with drainage into the gums or through the cheek with drainage into the skin.
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A tooth's nerve and pulp can become irritated, inflamed, and infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth and/or large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face.
 
What to expect:

• The doctor will place numbing jelly near the tooth to be worked on.
• The area will be numbed so that you are comfortable for the whole procedure.
• The doctor will go through the tooth and into the infected root of the tooth.
• A rubber dental dam may be placed around the tooth to isolate the tooth being worked on.
• Using special instruments the doctor cleans out the infected tissue from the tooth.
• Several xrays will be taken to make sure that all of the infection has been removed.
• The doctor then places a special material to fill in the now cleaned out root canal.
• A crown is always placed on a tooth having had a root canal. This often requires another appointment as an impression needs to be made as well as the crown itself.
• You may be prescribed an antibiotic depending upon the level of infection.
• Temporary material will be placed in the tooth to make it smooth until the next appointment.