How Does Root Canal Works?

What is root canal?

A “root canal” is a component of a tooth, not a medical procedure. The pulp, commonly referred to as the hollow part of a tooth, is where the nerves, blood vessels, and other cells are located.

The crown and roots make up a tooth. The roots are primarily below the gum, whereas the crown is mostly above it. The tooth is joined to the jawbone via the roots.

The pulp is located inside the crown and the root, or the root canal. The pulp hydrates the tissue around the tooth and feeds it nutrients. The pulp’s nerves interpret heat and cold as painful.

The term root canals Lafayette LA actually refers to a dentistry procedure called endodontic therapy, which means “within the tooth.”

However, the term “root canal” has come to be commonly used to talk about the procedure.

What are the steps?

Root canals Lafayette LA therapy is done in three steps, and it takes between one and three sessions to complete.

1. Cleaning the root canal

First, the dentist at Lafayette laremoves everything that is inside the root canal.

With the patient under local anesthesia, the dentist makes a small access hole on the surface of the tooth and removes the diseased and dead pulp tissue with very small files.

2. Filling the root canal

Next, the dentist cleans, shapes and decontaminates the hollow area, using tiny files and irrigation solutions. Then, the tooth is filled with a rubber-like material, using an adhesive cement to seal the canals completely.

After root canal therapy, the tooth is dead. The patient will no longer feel any pain in that tooth because the nerve tissue has been removed, and the infection has been eliminated.

3. Adding a crown or filling

However, the tooth will be now more fragile than it was before. A tooth with no pulp must receive its nourishment from the ligament that attaches the tooth to the bone. This supply is adequate, but in time, the tooth will become more brittle, so a crown or filling offers protection.

Until the crown or filling is complete, the patient should not chew or bite on the tooth. Once there is a crown or filling is done, the person can use the tooth as before.

Treatment often takes only one appointment, but if there are curved canals, multi-canals, or large infections, this could take one or two additional appointments.

What does it cost?

Although the cost of dental care varies greatly, preserving the tooth with a root canal is generally more economical.

The cost of an implant or bridge to replace the tooth after extraction is typically higher. The other alternative is extraction.

Malocclusion, or crooked teeth, and trouble chewing are further side effects of extraction.

Prevention

Dentists in Lafayette La advise the following measures to prevent infections, tooth decay, and gum disease:

flossing to clean in between teeth and prevent plaque buildup, brushing teeth last thing at bedtime and at least once more throughout the day, using fluoride-containing toothpaste, using a suitable toothbrush and replacing it on a regular basis, going to routine dental checkups and cleanings, and avoiding sugary drinks and foods while maintaining a healthy diet.

How painful is it?

One of the great fears about this kind of treatment is that it will be painful, but the treatment that is carried out by a trained dental surgeon at Lafayette la should be relatively painless.

The pain that is felt comes from the infection and not from the treatment. The treatment does not cause pain; it helps to alleviate it.

After the treatment, some tenderness is normal. It is temporary, and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication may be enough to relieve it. If needed, prescription drugs, such as codeine, are available.