Root Canal: What You Should Know

If you’re facing a root canal, you might have a lot of questions about it. What it is? Why is it necessary? What happens during a root canal? These are common questions for anyone who might be facing this dental procedure.

A root canal is basically a treatment used to repair and help save a permanent tooth that has been badly decayed or infected. It is a fairly common dental procedure in which the nerve and pulp are removed from the root canal area and the inside of the tooth is cleaned out and then sealed to prevent further decay. 

A root canal is usually performed to prevent the tissues in the area around the tooth from becoming badly infected. When this happens, an abscess can form and the tooth is almost always lost eventually. 

If you’re wondering how the tooth can function without the nerve, you’ll be happy to know that the nerve only affects the hot and cold sensation of the tooth and will not affect the tooth’s ability to actually function. You can still eat normally, even with a root canal.

The pulp needs to be removed because it will break down when damages and bacteria will begin to form. This bacteria will cause infection that can spread to the gums and nearby teeth as well. This can cause swelling in the gums and to other areas such as the face, neck or head and bone loss at the top of the root.

What are some signs that you might need to have a root canal?

• Discoloration or darkening of the tooth
• Severe pain, especially when chewing or pressure on the tooth
• Prolonged sensitivity to heat and cold, even after the hot or cold has been removed
• Persistent or recurring pimple on the gum area
• Swelling and tenderness on the gum and nearby gums

If you are experience some or all of these symptoms, it’s very important that you see your dentist immediately before the tooth is damaged beyond repair. If the damage has gone too far for a root canal to help or if the root canal fails to correct the problem, the tooth will usually need to be extracted.