If you have been even a little bit familiar with dentistry and its procedures, you’re well aware of the term, “root canal.” But what exactly is a root canal? Is it a part of the tooth? How much do you actually know about root canals?
As per dentists, patients know very little about root canals, which is one of the reasons why they often fail to spot the signs when they need treatment. Furthermore, many patients prefer not to go to the dentist because they believe that the treatment hurts immensely, although that’s not true!
Thus, in the following sections, let’s discuss more root canals and understand it better.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is not a part of your tooth! Perhaps, the name came from the canal that’s created to the root of the toot during the treatment. A root canal is a curative procedure. You need root canal treatment when the pulp of your tooth, which is the innermost part of a tooth, is infected. The primary cause behind it is poor oral hygiene. The condition is called ‘pulpitis’.
Now that you know what a root canal treatment is, let’s get to know when you’d need one.
Signs that you need a root canal treatment
To know if you need a root canal treatment, look for the following common signs of pulpitis:
- Increased tooth sensitivity.
- Toothache that can be anywhere from being mild to severe.
- Tooth sensitivity to sweet food.
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Fever
- Discolored tooth
Apart from these, you may even experience fever or swollen lymph nodes in some severe cases. If you have any of the listed symptoms, seek a dentist immediately. And you’d know that the treatment does not hurt by reading the following section:
Root canal treatment procedure
To your delight, a dentist would first offer you sedation before the treatment to ensure that you receive a pain-free treatment. Following that, an access hole will be created in the tooth that would stretch down to its root. Using dental files, the infected pulp and the surrounding nerve tissues will be taken out. Finally, the hole will be sealed with a dental filling.
Even if you do not get sedation, chances are that you’ll still feel no pain since the nerve tissues inside the tooth are probably dead from the damage. However, if otherwise, the treatment could hurt. Thus, to get the most painless root canal therapy with sedation in Fort Worth or Keller in Texas, you can find your ideal dentist here!
