The mouth is a complex part of the body with a lot of different interactions going on inside of it. There are many things happening in your mouth that you are unaware of that could become a problem. One of those things involves the root canal. Beneath the teeth and gums is a soft tissue called the pulp, which contains the blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. It also helps to grow the root of your tooth during development. Sometimes an infection happens in this area and you might need a treatment called a root canal to relieve pain or save the tooth.
The root canal itself includes a set of tubes and the pulp inside the roots of the tooth that allow the supporting blood vessels and nerves to get nutrients to the tooth. If these tubes or pulp get infected or inflamed, it can cause severe amounts of pain, lead to an abscess, and sometimes kill the tooth. A root canal treatment can clear out the infection and save the tooth from dying.
A root canal is quite simple to perform. To treat your infected root canal, Dr. Brandon Burger will first numb the tooth to ensure that you experience as little discomfort as possible. Then he will open the tooth down to the infected pulp cavity. You should be numb enough that you won’t feel this. After that, he will remove the infected parts of the pulp and clean and disinfect the inside of the tooth. He will then replace the material with plugs that will secure the root of the tooth in place. Afterward, the tooth is restored with a crown or filling for future protection. Your tooth should then heal successfully without much pain and preventing any further problems. Your tooth should continue to function like any other tooth after the treatment.
Many people may feel uncertain about getting a root canal treatment, but Dr. (doctor name) is very skilled at doing his job and keeping you comfortable both during the treatment at our office in Hermitage, Tennessee, and helping you in caring for the tooth during recovery. Recovery can take some time, but it is ultimately the right decision to get the root canal rather than deal with the potential consequences. The treatment helps maintain your smile, continue eating the foods you love, and even limits the need for more dental work. The tooth with a root canal can even last a lifetime with proper care.
For more information about root canals and root canal therapy, call our office today.