Root Canal Disease

What is a root canal?

You have probably heard the term root canal but are not sure exactly what it means. A root canal is a capillary inside the tooth that runs from the base of the tooth root to the middle of the tooth crown. The canal carries the nerve cells and blood vessels to the tooth.

What are the symptoms of root canal disease?

There are several symptoms that indicate a possible root canal disease and if you are suffering from any of these, it is advisable to have a dental checkup.

What are the symptoms of root canal disease?

The reason that we have root canal treatment is because nerve in the tooth gets damaged. The usual reason is because the cavity in the tooth is bigger and the nerve is exposed. The cavity becomes filled with bacteria resulting in inflammation and pain.

There are two ways to relieve the pain. One method is to pull the tooth and replace it with a denture or a bridge. Pulling a tooth is the last option because natural teeth are better suited to the mouth than dentures.

The other method is to perform root canal therapy. Root canal therapy is by far the better option. Pain relief is instant and a treated root canal will function just as well as a healthy tooth.

If you are suffering from a bad toothache, it could be a root canal. If it is, it should be treated immediately. If left untreated, the infection can travel down to the root of the tooth and into the jawbone. An infection in the jawbone may cause it to deteriorate and also weaken the structure that is holding all of your teeth.

When the infection travels through the bone structure unchecked it can spread into tissue spaces in the neck or around the eye. If such a condition arises this may become a serious medical emergency.

Why Have Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is the better alternative to a tooth extraction. Root canal treatment removes diseased tissue from inside the tooth and replaces it with a filling and sealant. The corrected tooth will function as good as new.

If a tooth is extracted, the patient is left with several alternatives, such as:

A dental implant inserted into the bone may take several months to heal, is time consuming and there are usually significant laboratory costs involved.

A fixed bridge may be fabricated if the neighboring teeth are strong and healthy enough to support it. Fixed bridges will take multiple appointments and have associated costs.

Removable partial dentures may place unfavorable force on the supporting bone and tissue. There may be significant costs with this option.

Not replacing the tooth is the worst choice. Leaving a gap may cause other teeth to move and cause long term problems. Without the support of teeth, the facial structure and profile also changes. In the long term, this could be the most costly choice of all.

After weighing all the options, root canal therapy is the fastest, most painless and least costly of all.

Prevention is better than cureFollow a good daily oral hygiene program of brushing and flossing to care for your teeth and prevent bacteria. Visit your dentist regularly and you will have healthy teeth for a long time.