General Dentists at Discover Dental in NE Calgary hear patients express concern about needing a Root Canal. This form of dental treatment is performed to save the tooth, as the only other option would be to extract the tooth in an attempt to remove infection, decay and the associated discomfort.
NE Calgary Dentists at Discover Dental explain that root canal therapy is a procedure that is required due to the nerve of the tooth dying. The nerve, or pulp, of a tooth starts to die due to trauma or decay and becomes inflamed before eventually dying. Once the nerve of the tooth has died, infection becomes a concern as bacteria feed off the dead nerve, possibly leading to an abscess (localized collection of puss) forming at the tip of the root. Patients often express their shock at learning that their tooth has died because they are experiencing discomfort which makes them believe the tooth is very vital. The discomfort comes from the pressure that has built up in the tooth, and then biting down puts force on the abscess. A root canal alleviates the pain and discomfort almost immediately – and allows the tooth to remain in place.
Just like all areas of dentistry – technological advances and clinical training has enabled dentists to easily and effectively perform procedures that were once considered ‘dreaded appointments’ by patients. Root Canal Therapy has seen its share of advances, leading to greater success rate and patient satisfaction. One thing to mention is that once the nerve of a tooth has died, the tooth is no longer vital and over time becomes dry, brittle, and is at risk for fracturing. The risk of fracture is easily prevented by placing a crown on the tooth once healing from the root canal is complete. By placing a crown the tooth is protected and has a chance of lasting as long as a vital tooth.