Dental caries is a common oral problem suffered by millions globally. This could be attributed to poor oral hygiene, unhealthy eating habits, excess plaque accumulation, and bacterial infiltration. Though dentistry has evolved over the decades and come up with effective dental fillings, these may not be helpful for extensive tooth decay. Such cases require more advanced procedures like root canal therapy.
The root canal therapy in Union City is offered by highly qualified and skilled dental specialists to rejuvenate your oral health and overall well-being.
Understanding root canal therapy
Root canal therapy is a simple, painless dental procedure that involves the removal of the infected pulp and permanently restoring it with crowns or bridges. The pulp is a central core of the tooth encased within the root canals, consisting of nerves and blood vessels. This provides essential nutrition to the tooth. Any infection extending to the pulp can damage the nerve endings and lead to painful symptoms, negatively impacting your routine life.
The necessity for root canal therapy
Dentists often recommend root canal therapy for special cases, such as:
- Severely decayed teeth involving the pulp
- Trauma or injury to the teeth extending to the pulp
- Infection that may have developed near the root tip
- The presence of pus discharging abscess near the tooth root
- Failure of regular dental fillings
- Pre-treatment procedure for teeth that support a dental bridge
The process involved in root canal therapy
Root canal therapy is a safe and simple procedure involving the following steps:
- Tooth isolation with a rubber dam to prevent excess moisture
- Administration of local anesthesia to numb the affected tooth and surrounding gums. This can effectively ease pain and discomfort.
- Access opening using ultrasonic instruments to drill a hole in the crown portion to expose the pulp.
- Pulp removal (coronal pulp) through rotary files to expose the root canals.
- Removal of radicular pulp (from the tooth cervix to the apex).
- Shaping the root canals using ultrasonic files through a process called biomechanical preparation.
- Cleaning and disinfecting the root canals
- Filling the empty canals with a flexible, biocompatible material called gutta-percha.
- Sealing the tooth with a temporary filling material to prevent reinfection.
- Placing a final restoration in the form of a dental crown
Summary
Often, pulp infection is followed by painful symptoms that can be distressing. Thankfully modern dentistry offers comprehensive procedures like root canal therapy to help restore extensive tooth damage. This can enhance your oral form, function, and aesthetics for a complete dental transformation.