What's a Root Canal and When Is It Needed?

What's a Root Canal and When Is It Needed?

Need a root canal? Root canal therapy is performed annually by dentists on more than 20 million patients. A root canal is a procedure that Root Canalis used to fix teeth that are infected or badly decayed, and give your teeth a second chance. The Center for Cosmetic and Sedation Dentistry, located in Lawrenceville, GA, offers a complete range of dental services to their patients—read on to find out what a root canal is and when it is needed!

Root Canal Explained

The procedure is performed in order to remove damaged dental pulp after it has become infected. This pulp is made up of connective tissue, nerves, and blood vessels that help the tooth grow. If root canal therapy isn't performed, the infection may spread, resulting in the tooth needing to be removed.

Root Canal Procedure

In most cases, a dentist will perform a root canal while you’re under local anesthesia. During the procedure, the dentist will remove the pulp inside your tooth. Next, the dentist will clean, disinfect, and shape the root canals, before placing a filling to seal the tooth. After this, you will return to the dentist, who will place a permanent crown on your tooth to protect it and restore it to full function.

When it is Needed

Root canal treatment is required when the dental pulp is infected or inflamed. The infection or inflammation can have a variety of causes, though it is generally either a chip or crack in the tooth, or deep tooth decay. A traumatic dental injury may also cause damage to the dental pulp even if the tooth does not have a visible chip or crack. If pulp infection or inflammation is left untreated, it can lead to an abscess or cause pain.

Benefits of Treatment

In the past, injured and diseased teeth had to be removed. Today, they can often be saved through root canal therapy.

Severe toothache is a sign you may need a root canal, and you will be happy to know that the treatment will ease your pain and improve your well-being. Root canal therapy is virtually pain-free, given that local anesthesia is very effective in blocking any discomfort during this procedure.

If you think you may need a root canal, contact the Center for Cosmetic and Sedation Dentistry at (770) 995-1957 today to schedule an appointment in Lawrenceville, GA. Relieve your mouth pain by giving us a call!

Locations

Lawrenceville Location