MORE INFORMATION ON ROOT CANALS

This is a bit of a misleading question. When someone refers to the term root canal they are usually talking about the dental procedure to remove the pulp in the actual root canal. The actual root canal itself is found in the center of each and every tooth. So we’ll first identify the root canal and its purpose then we’ll look at the procedure and the reason why you may need a root canal procedure.

The Root Canal

Inside of each and every tooth is a hollow area that contains soft tissue and nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. This area is called the pulp chamber. Like a pencil lead through a pencil, the canals extend down the root. Every tooth has at least one, sometimes there are up to four or five roots. These canals deliver nutrition to the pulp to keep the tooth alive and also deliver signals to the brain through the sensory nerves. So the root canals play a very vital role to a healthy tooth.

What can be the cause of a root canal?

The procedure is necessary when the pulp becomes damaged, diseased or dead. If left untreated this pulp will become infected and will form an abscess at the tip of the root in the jawbone. This in turn will destroy the bone around the tooth and put you through a lot of pain. The pulp can be harmed if the tooth is cracked, if you have a deep cavity or an injury of sorts to the tooth.

The Procedure

Often times the procedure is performed by an endodontist, who specializes in this treatment. To begin, the dentist will numb the tooth with the injection of an anesthetic. Once the tooth is numb the process starts with an opening made in the tooth through the back of one of your front teeth or the crown of a molar. The dentist will then remove the diseased pulp with very small tools designed for this purpose. Once the damaged pulp is removed the canals are cleaned and slightly enlarged. The pulp chamber and the canals are not left empty. The dentist will fill those spaces or chambers with a rubbery material that the industry calls gutta-percha. This is cemented into place and then sealed. Occasionally a rod, either metal or plastic, may have to be added to the canal to give the tooth structural support. Once the chamber and the canal has been filled and sealed a temporary filling will be placed over the opening to protect the tooth. At this time it is strongly recommended that a crown finish the procedure to protect the natural tooth, even though it is no longer alive.

The life expectancy of a root canal

With proper care a treated or restored tooth can last a lifetime. Since there is no longer pulp keeping the tooth alive the tooth could become brittle and prone to fracture, which is way it is wise to finish with a crown. This is a common procedure which many of us have experienced. Exercise good oral hygiene, both before and after.

West Mobile Dental Care, located in Mobile, provides the full range of preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dental procedures including root canals. Contact our office today to find out more about our practice and how we can help you with your oral health.

If you're just interested in learning more about root canal in general, here's some additional reading on how long you can expect a root canal to take.