Endodontists typically recommend root canal treatment as a final effort to save badly damaged or infected teeth. The procedure involves removing soft tissues from the tooth and applying medication to kill any bacteria inside the tooth.
The visible part of a tooth comprises three distinct layers: enamel, dentin, and the pulp chamber. A tooth’s enamel is the hard outer shell. It is the strongest part of the body, and it is designed to withstand bite forces and acids made by oral bacteria.
The dentin is the yellow inner layer next to the enamel. It contains many tiny nerve endings, and it is not as durable as enamel. The dentin covers the pulp chamber, protecting it.
The pulp chamber is the innermost layer of a tooth, and it houses connective tissues, blood vessels, and nerves. It is the most sensitive part of a tooth’s crown, and it is sealed off from the rest of the tooth to prevent bacteria and acids from getting to the soft tissues inside it. The ways that a tooth’s pulp chamber might end up getting opened up include:
Tooth decay: Tooth decay occurs when acids made by bacteria in the mouth eat away at teeth structures. These acids start demineralizing teeth, and then small holes called cavities start forming on teeth. Left untreated, these cavities continuously expand until they reach the dentin and eventually, the pulp chamber. A cavity reaching the pulp chamber leaves the soft tissues inside exposed to bacteria that can cause infections.
Trauma: Trauma to a tooth can leave its pulp chamber compromised. For example, a hard blow to the face or a fall can break a tooth, leaving its pulp chamber open to bacterial attacks. Teeth that have been weakened by decay are more likely to suffer significant breaks.
An infected tooth is one of the most painful dental issues that a person can find themselves dealing with. It typically leads to extreme toothaches that leave the person unable to focus during the day or sleep at night.
Root canal therapy has an unfair reputation as a painful treatment, but that is not how the procedure works. Local anesthetics are administered at the start of the treatment, numbing the area being worked on. By the time that the procedure is over, the painful toothache that brought the patient to the clinic should be gone.
The procedure starts with the patient being injected with an anesthetic. Then, a hole is made in the tooth using a dental drill. The endodontist uses files to extract the soft tissues in the pulp chamber. A rubbery material known as gutta-percha is used to seal the tooth back up. A crown can then be placed on the restored tooth to protect it against further damage.
An infected tooth requires urgent dental care. Call or visit our Ukiah clinic to set up an appointment with our endodontist.
Request an appointment here: https://santarosaendodontics.com or call Santa Rosa Endodontics at (707) 409-1177 for an appointment in our Ukiah office.
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