How a Root Canal Can Save Your Smile

The idea of undergoing a root canal procedure is often enough to send people running in the opposite direction. As scary as the procedure may seem, it can actually save your teeth, improve or retain their function and allow you to enjoy many years of a beautiful, healthy smile. 

Why Is It Performed?

The treatment is done mainly to save the tooth. When the condition of the tooth is such that it is likely to sustain some damage or injury, or if the damage is severe enough to actually kill the tooth, then a root canal cape girardeau treatment is considered. It is also performed if the tooth is abscessed. The treatment can stop a current tooth infection, prevent future infection and relieve toothache.

How Is It Done?

The goal of the treatment is to remove the pulp inside the hard material of the tooth known as dentin. The pulp contains nerves, connective tissues and blood vessels. The pulp performs a necessary  function during the development of the tooth but is no longer as important once the tooth has stopped growing. The pulp can become infected, causing pain, inflammation and general discomfort. 

To remove the pulp, your endodontist or a general practitioner who has experience in this type of treatment will create a tiny opening at the top of the tooth. Using a number of tools, he will then remove the pulp. In an abscessed tooth, pus, blood and other infected materials are drained during the process. Recommended site for more details.

Your dentist will then clean the root canal to prevent infection. In most cases, he will enlarge the canal to make it easier to fill. Enlarging the root canal can take several hours to complete and often requires you to return to the dental office for several visits. To prevent an infection, the canal will be filled with medicine to stop any bacteria present and a temporary filling may be used to seal the crown.

For the final process, your dentist will remove the temporary filling and medicine before treating the cavity with the final root canal filling. This will seal the tooth and keep it safe from infection. Since a filled tooth can easily break, your dentist may also apply a synthetic crown to act as a protective case over the exposed area of the treated tooth.