Root Canal Treatment: Some Common Questions

doctor and her patient smiling

Why Do You Need Root Canal Treatment?

If it’s still unclear to you as to why you would need a root canal treatment, let us explain it simply! You need a root canal treatment when you have an infected or damaged tooth pulp. The pulp is the innermost part of the tooth that harbors nerve tissues around it. The infection or damage of the pulp is called pulpitis.

Why Does Pulpitis Occur?

Pulpitis can occur due to several reasons. Below are a few of the common causes:

  1. A dental infection that has been left untreated for too long.
  2. A broken or chipped tooth that exposes the pulp
  3. A fractured tooth that exposes the pulp.
  4. Dental trauma.
  5. Poor oral hygiene.

Are There Complications Related to Root Canal Treatment?

There are mostly no complications related to root canal treatment. The only noteworthy complication that may arise after the treatment is a fragile tooth. After a root canal treatment, the tooth becomes virtually dead without the pulp and any nerve tissues around it.

The tooth is deprived of some nutrients that make it fragile. This is why most endodontists recommend patients to get a dental crown to protect the treated tooth.

Does Root Canal Treatment Hurt?

A root canal treatment does not hurt you to a point where you’d want to run away from the clinic! In fact, most root canal treatments don’t hurt at all! This is because the nerve tissues surrounding the pulp may have already been damaged as a result of pulpitis. Moreover, you will be perfectly sedated so that you can relax during your dental treatment.

What’s the Root Canal Treatment Procedure?

At first, the dentist will provide you with a sedative to ease you through the treatment. Next, the dentist will create an access hole to take the pulp and surrounding nerve tissues out of the tooth. These will be removed using dental files.

Once that’s done, the dentist will use a temporary dental filling to fill the part of the tooth that’s been taken out. In another appointment, you may be asked to visit to get a proper dental filling.

If you’re scheduled to undergo a root canal treatment, make sure that you get it from a reliable dentist. Root canal treatment is a complex dental procedure that is best done by experienced dentists. You can get the best root canal dentist in Phoenix AZ near you. Click here for more information.