You don’t have to run and hide in your bed when you hear the words “root canal.” In our last blog, we discussed how root canal therapy can save a tooth that would otherwise be headed for extraction. In this edition, we’ll explain what you can expect if you hear the words “root canal” at your next appointment. (Hint: it’s not as bad as you think!)
You don’t have to be scared of root canals! Duncan, OK dentist Dr. Matthew Bridges provides root canal therapy to end your toothache, not make it worse! Call Chisholm Trail Smile Center to learn about gentle, patient-friendly root canals to save your infected tooth.
Root canals are possibly the most dreaded of words for dental patients to hear, and we suspect it’s because of how they were performed in the past. Before injectable anesthetics, root canals were very likely long, slow, painful experiences—but today most patients feel no sensitivity during the procedure. Thanks to effective nerve-blocking treatments, any toothache you felt up until your appointment will be gone as soon as the injection takes effect.
Root canals are also faster than ever before. With modern dentistry tools, microscopes, and lasers, the “long, slow” part of root canal therapy turns into one office visit. Sometimes root canal therapy takes two office visits, depending on the severity of the infection and the anatomy of the tooth. Overall, modern technology has made the procedure faster and more effective.
Root Canals End Pain
Let’s be clear. Root canals may have a bad reputation, but they end any pain you have been feeling in an infected tooth. This treatment is also called endodontic therapy because it treats the inside of the tooth.
The pulp chamber in the innermost part of a tooth is where the living tissues reside. It includes blood vessels, nerve endings, and other tissues. When infection reaches this part of the tooth, the only way to remove it is to remove all the soft tissues from inside the tooth.
While you are anesthetized, we remove all the living tissues from the pulp chamber and the small canals that extend outward into the tooth. After the tooth has been “hollowed out” and cleaned, we sanitize it to make sure there is no trace of infection remaining, and seal the tooth with a filler. This rubber-like filler is different from typical cavity fillings and it creates a weight and heft that is closer to the way your tooth originally felt.
Technically a tooth that receives endodontic therapy becomes a dead tooth, since no living tissues are left inside it. However, it will function like a living tooth for many years to come. You may experience some sensitivity at the site of the tooth for a day or two after a root canal, but this should go away quickly.
Some patients have a sore jaw after root canal treatment, but this is likely from holding the jaw open for an extended period of time, and should feel better within a day or so. If you experience pain after a root canal treatment, let us know as soon as possible. Sometimes the crown or filling may be too high, and this can upset your bite and chewing process. We can usually correct this in a short office visit.
Root Canals are Worth the Time!
Root canals may take longer than typical fillings but they are worth your time! It may be years from now or it may be months, but an infected tooth will only worsen if neglected. The body cannot heal a tooth infection on its own; only a dentist can restore a tooth with bacterial infection. If you put off root canal treatment, any pain you feel will only worsen and your chances of saving the tooth will decrease.
If there’s anything to fear when you hear the words “root canal,” it’s not getting it done promptly!
Do you have an unrelenting toothache? If you need a root canal in Duncan OK, Chisholm Trail Smile Center will help you save your tooth. Call our office at (580) 255-4880 for an appointment.
