Need A Root Canal? This Is One Dental Procedure You Should Not Be Worrying About

Posted on: 26 December 2018

Have you been told by your dentist that one of your teeth has significant decay, and will now require a root canal to fix it? If so, you may be worried about getting a root canal for the very first time because you do not know much about it. Here are some things to know about root canals that will stop the worrying.

Know Why Root Canals Are Necessary

A root canal will be needed when you have dental pulp that is infected. It is caused by tooth decay that starts out small, but eventually spread into the depths of the tooth where the nerves and pulp are affected. You won't noticed the decay immediately, but if it is gets bad enough, it will cause you to feel discomfort. The dentist can identify the decay during a routine dental exam, and can see how deep it goes with an x-ray.

Since decay can be removed if caught early on, many people do not require root canals if they go to the dentist for their semi-annual cleaning. They'll catch the decay while it's minimal and only require a simple filling.

What Exactly Are Root Canals?

The name of the root canal procedure can sound a bit scary. The procedure involves removing all of the dental pulp that is infected, and in order to do this, a lot of the affected tooth needs to be removed. The hole that is created can be so big that a crown is necessary to cap the tooth and give it some much needed strength and stability.

How Long Do Root Canals Take To Perform?

A root canal takes between 1 to 2 hours to perform, which depends on how much pulp needs to be removed. It's a relatively short dental procedure, since the typical semi-annual cleaning and inspection can take about an hour.

However, it does take some time for your dentist to create the crown that will cover your tooth with the root canal. You'll be given a temporary crown after the root canal, but you'll need to return for the permanent crown to be installed.

Do Root Canals Hurt?

Dentists do provide anesthesia for root canal, and you can even request dental sedation so you are not aware of the procedure as it is happening. This can help a root canal be completely painless for you. If anything, you'll feel a relief of pain once the procedure is completed.

For more information, reach out dental clinics like the Four Corners Dental Group

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