A Root Canal Dentist Can Save Your Tooth

As a root canal dentist, we regularly save our patients' infected teeth from needing to be pulled.  For patients, the words root canal can conjure up images if a surgical procedure where we remove a root in what has become the most commonly performed surgery in America. As a dentist, we know that the root canal is actually the area surrounding the tooth's root on the inside of the tooth itself. Inside this canal is also the pulp and pulp canal, which is the soft tissue that surrounds the root. When this pulp and the root become agitated due to bacteria build up or trauma, we then have to cure the painful root by performing what has become known as a root canal surgery. Often, we will be required to perform an emergency root canal surgery to ensure that our patients can start to feel better right away.

The root canal surgery is the process of removing the infected root and cleaning out any infected pulp that may be causing the patient a great deal of pain. While there are many patients who go through this process, few understand what exactly it entails. Basically, the root canal is a three-step surgery which involves getting to the root, cleaning out the infection, and sealing up the tooth to keep it from becoming reinfected.

The first step, after we have discovered that you need a root canal, is to take x-rays. The x-rays will show us what the shape of the root is and allows us to chart the path for the procedure, making the process as quick and painless as possible. The x-rays will also indicate if there is a severe infection that could require us to give you a course of antibiotics before proceeding with the surgery. As a root canal dentist, we want to ensure that you are ready for the procedure and these steps allow us to do so.

The next step is to give you general anesthesia. Sometimes in a root canal situation the tooth is already dead, and there would not be pain associated with the treatment. However, patients are often afraid, and the last thing we want is for you to experience any level of discomfort, which is why we give you a very localizes anesthesia. This ensures that you will not have discomfort or pain while we go through the rest of the process.

After the tooth is sufficiently numb, we will cover the area with a small rubbers sheet known as a dam that will keep it dry and free from saliva throughout the entire process. Finally, preparations are complete, and a small access hole will be drilled through the tooth to the root canal. Once there we will clean it out, removing the root and all of the infected soft tissue or pulp. A series of files will be worked into the cavity, scraping any remaining pulp and getting the dental cavity clean. In addition, we will rinse the canal frequently with water or sodium hypochlorite so that it is free of debris.  Once the root canal is properly cleaned out, it is a small matter to fill the cavity and use a dental filling to patch the access hole. When necessary, as a root canal dentist, we will complete the process by using a dental crown to seal and protect the tooth.