Root Canal Facts for the Family Dentist Patient
Posted: Friday, February 25, 2011
by Thomas E Cooke DDS
Family Dentistry
Many dentists would agree that a tooth extraction is actually more traumatic to the dental patient than a root canal. Tooth extractions take more time to heal. Removing a tooth requires more physical force which is sometimes perceived as pain. Having a tooth removed is a harder procedure than a root canal. A root canal is basically removing tissue from the inner tooth that has become irreversibly damaged by bacteria. This tissue is either dead or on its way to becoming dead. Infected nerve tissue inside a tooth will only get worse over time so a root canal or an extraction are the only two options when the tooth nerve becomes infected. Saving an infected tooth that needs a root canal is important to preserve your bite in that area. If this tooth is extracted, it will affect the adjacent teeth unless an implant, a bridge, or a partial is made to replace this problem area.
A root canal (RC) is basically removing unhealthy tissue from the inside of the tooth and then a cement like substance is used to seal off this area to prevent bacteria from entering into the tooth. Teeth have three layers of tissue. The enamel, the dentin, and the pulp. The pulp is where the nerve is. If this area gets unhealthy and infected, then pain can occur. The pain from an infected nerve can come and go. The pain can also be constant. It can be triggered by cold drinks, hot drinks, or from pressure. When a tooth has an infection, it may or may not have pain. If the infection of the tooth reaches the inner part of the tooth where the nerve is, then a RC is needed. The infection could also be related to the outer part of the tooth which would then be a periodontal abscess. Pain from an infected pulp requiring a RC is caused by inflammation. This pain could last up to five days after the RC is completed. Ibuprofen (600mg) is the best medication for the relief of this discomfort during the five day healing period. Due to more advanced techniques that have been developed, a RC can be a procedure that only has minor discomfort associated with it unless the patient delays treatment. Delaying treatment causes the inflammatory process to go out of control allowing for high pain levels.
Crowns and Posts
If a tooth has a large filling or if it has had a RC, then a crown may be needed to get back the strength that is missing. When a tooth has most of its structure missing above the gum line, a post may be recommended. A post is a reinforcement rod, often metal, that fits inside the nerve canal and is used to support the buildup material that is used to bring the tooth shape back for the crown to be supported.
Antibiotics
A RC is a procedure to seal off the inside of the tooth to prevent bacteria from hiding out inside the tooth where antibiotics can't reach. If the nerve inside the tooth is unhealthy or dead, then blood vessels are not functioning inside the tooth. The bacteria fighting cells therefore can't get inside the tooth because they travel through the blood vessels. When a tooth with a dead nerve is not treated with a RC, bacteria will hide out in the dead nerve space and leak out into the surrounding bone. The only way to get rid of an infection around a tooth that has an abscess from an infected nerve is to place the patient on an antibiotic during the time that they are having a RC on the tooth or to have the tooth extracted by your FAMILY DENTIST.
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