The Step-by-Step Process of a Root Canal Treatment

A root canal treats a tooth with infected or inflamed pulp. This procedure protects the tooth's health and prevents the need for an extraction. While this procedure was once generally feared and dreaded due to painful memories from past procedures, modern advancements in dentistry have made the process comfortable and efficient. Most patients report pain similar to having a cavity filled. If you’re experiencing tooth pain or sensitivity, it’s important to seek treatment at Carlston Dental Group before the issue becomes worse and requires more complex treatments such as tooth extraction.

The Benefits of Root Canal Treatment

Pain Relief

One of the primary benefits of root canal therapy is the alleviation of severe toothache pain. Root canals are performed to remove the infected or damaged pulp inside the tooth, often the source of intense pain. Root canal therapy provides significant relief by addressing the underlying cause of the pain.

Preservation of Natural Tooth

Root canal therapy aims to save the natural tooth rather than extracting it. Preserving the natural tooth has numerous advantages, including maintaining proper biting and chewing function, preventing adjacent teeth from shifting, and preserving the smile's natural appearance.

Infection Removal

When a tooth's pulp becomes infected or inflamed, it can spread bacteria to the surrounding tissues and bone. Root canal therapy involves removing the infected pulp, cleaning and disinfecting the root canals, and sealing them to prevent further infection. By eliminating the infection, root canal therapy helps to restore oral health.

The Procedure for Root Canal Treatment

The first step to addressing the problem is to remove the source of pain – the damaged and dead pulp tissue in the innermost chamber of the tooth that lies under the enamel and the dentin. The dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the area before they use a specialized tool to remove the pulp from the canals of the tooth using small files called broaches. This is done with great care and gentleness to avoid causing any damage to the nerves that are found inside the roots of the teeth. These nerves help transmit sensations of hot or cold to the mind, so you don’t want to cause any damage to them when removing the pulp. The canals are then cleaned and shaped using a rotary instrument before being sealed with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha to ensure that debris cannot enter them in the future and cause another infection. Finally, a crown is placed over the tooth to strengthen and prevent it from fracturing or breaking off due to any previous damage. This crown is also necessary to restore the tooth's appearance and improve its function. Once the procedure is complete, practicing excellent oral hygiene is important to prevent future infections from forming around the other teeth.

For more information about our root canal treatments or other dental services we offer, contact Carlston Dental Group at 2472 Overland Ave, West Los Angeles, Ca 90064, or call (310) 838-0844.