What You Need to Know About Root Canals

Root canal procedures are still widely misunderstood. That’s why their reputation is quite negative, but if your dentist tells you that you require a root canal treatment, there’s really nothing to fear.  We’re going to cover the basics and let you know what you need to understand about root canal procedures. The information below should help to clear up any lingering anxieties you might have regarding root canal treatment.

What Happens During a Root Canal?

Beneath the tooth’s enamel is a soft pulp, and this tissue houses blood vessels, connective tissue and nerves. But if that pulp becomes infected, it can become very painful and, when left untreated, the infection can spread to other parts of the mouth and body.

That’s why root canal procedures are required in some cases. During a root canal procedure, your dentist will remove the infected pulp, before cleaning and filling it and finally sealing it up. This ensures any infected pulp is completely gone and the infection can’t spread any further or cause any more pain.

How Do You Know if You Need a Root Canal?

There are a few different reasons why you might need to have a root canal procedure carried out. It’s important to take action if you do have an infected tooth, which you might notice due to pain or a new sensitivity that you hadn’t experienced previously.

The easiest way to find out what’s going on with your teeth and whether you might need to have a root canal procedure carried out is to see a trusted dentist. They’ll be able to take a closer look at your situation and get to the bottom of precisely what’s happening.

Do Root Canals Hurt?

This is the question that people often ask when they find out that they need to have a root canal procedure carried out. In the past, root canals were associated with pain, but things have moved on a long way in recent years and decades.

As a result, there’s no reason to believe that your root canal procedure will be particularly painful. For the most part, the procedure is painless due to the use of local anesthetic that numbs the area in which the procedure is being performed. Although, a little discomfort is often experienced in the recovery period.

Finding the Right Dentist

Before you go ahead and have your root canal procedure carried out, it’s important to find a dentist who you can trust. The right dentist will be someone who’s fully qualified and who has experience of carrying out plenty of root canal procedures for patients in the past. That’ll mean you’re in safe hands from start to finish.

Now that you’ve learned more about root canals and what they involve, the next step is to talk to your dentist about treatment options. We’ll be more than happy to help you with that, so get in touch if you’d like to book an appointment and find out whether a root canal procedure might be right for you.