Boca Raton Dentist Explains a Root Canal
A root canal can be a very painful experience, and it would make rnanyone nervous and a bit scared to go in to surgery, so to ease rnyour mind, Dr. Costabile, a Boca Raton dentist, decided to shed a rnlittle light on the subject.
Question: What is a Root Canal?
The root canal is the space inside the tooth at the center, also rnknown as the pulp chamer, and it travels down the whole length of rnthe root the the tip (or apex). The human tooth can have one to four rnroot canals, this depends on the anatomy of the tooth. A molar can rnhave 2 to 4 canals, a premolar can have 1 to 2, cuspids can have 1 rnto 2 and incisors usually only have 1 canal. Sometimes extra rncanals may branch out from the main canal, and these are called rnacessory canals. The number of canals vary among teeth.
Answer:
Common Reasons for Root Canals rnThese tiny canals contain the pulp of the tooth and are referred to rnas the nerve, which comes from the pulp chamber. If you have had rna trauma or infection of the nerve, this will require the need for root canal therapy. Some of the common reasons for root canal can rninclude: rnIf you have any decay on the tooth it can penetrate through the rnenamel and then the dentin in to the pulp.rnIf your tooth becomes abscessed or infected from decay.rnIf you have a chipped or broken tooth caused from trauma, can rnresult in exposure of the nerve.rnYour tooth can slowly die, due to a past trauma or age, but didn’t rnrequire treatment at the time of the injury.
How Is Root Canal Therapy Performed?
Before the procedure begins your Boca Raton dentist will advise rnyou as to how many appointments you may need to complete the rntoot canal. If you had an infection or an abcess, you will need to rnstart an antibiotic before completing the root canal. The first thing rnthe dentist will do is begin the appointment by giving you a local rnanesthetic to numb the tooth that he will be working on.
Once the tooth has become numb you can expect the following rnprocedures to be done:
An x-ray of the tooth, showing the whole tooth in the film (called a
“periapical x-ray”), will be taken so that the dentist can refer to it during the procedure.rnNext the dentist will place a dam over your mouth, this plastic rnshield, made from either latex or nonlatex materials, will keep the rntooth dry from your daliva before the final steps can be takenj to rncomplete the procedure. Different chemical solutions will be used rnto disinfect the inside of your tooth. The dam will keep these rnsolutions from entering your mouth.rnNow the dentist can begin the procedure by first drilling a small rnhole through the tooth into the pulp chamber—this is where the rnnerve of your tooth is located.rnNow he will start using tiny files, that are designed to remove the rnnerve from your tooth and any infected tissue that is there. Some rnfiles can be used by hand; others are connected to a slow moving rndental hand piece which is called a “rotary insturment.” Your rndentist may need another x-ray at this time to determine the length rnof the root. It is very important that the entire nerve is removed so rnnot to have any toothaches after the procedure and no re-infection rnof the tooth. This would mean retreatment or extraction of the rntoothe. So to prevent this, the dentist has to get as close to the tip, or the apex of your tooth, to remove all of the nerve. This is the longest part of the whole procedure. rnAfter the dentist is sure that the entire tooth has been cleaned out, rnand dried with tiny absorbent paper points, and is completely dry, rnhe will place material (called “gutta percha’) in the tooth. This is a rubbermaterial designed to seal the inside of the tooth.rnNow your dentist will remove any remaining decay and decide to rneither place a temporary filling on to the close the tooth, or rnproceed with a permanent filling. If you are having this work dome rnby an endodontist; this is a dentist who specializes in root canals, rnhe will place a remporaty restoration and send you back to your rngeneral dentist for permanent restoration. Usually your dentist will rnrecommend having a crown put on the tooth, because since the rnnerve and blood supply to that tooth has been removed, the tooth rncan become brittle over time, and can crack. A crown will prevent rnthis from happening.
Recovering from Your Root Canal Therapy
Once the anesthetic has worn off, you may be sore from the rnprocedure. The dentist will probably recommend a pain reliver to rntake when you get home, and depending on the reasons behind rnyour toot canal, you may be given antibiotics to clear up any rnremaining infection in the toothe. If you were on antibiotcs before rnthe procedure than you would finish the remaining medication rnafter.
http://familydentistboca.com/