If you have been told by your dentist that you need a root canal procedure, you may be worried because you don’t know what to expect. Although this treatment is a bit more involved than filling a simple cavity, the fact is that you will be given a local anesthetic before the procedure begins so there is no need to be concerned that the treatment will hurt any more than what you may have already experienced when you have a cavity filled.
Root Canal Dental Procedure
As mentioned, once the need for a root canal has been determined (typically through x-rays as well as reported symptoms), a patient will be given an injection of a local anesthetic so that the area will be numb before any work begins. Some dentists will first use a topical gel on the gums before the injection of the anesthetic is given so that even this part of the procedure is not uncomfortable. It takes a few minutes for the anesthetic to work so you will simply sit in the chair while waiting, during which time the dentist may discuss your upcoming procedure, chat with you casually if this has already been done, or he or she may temporarily attend to another patient and then return when it has been determined that you are comfortably numb.
Once the area is numb, the dentist will prepare the area by placing a rubber dam over the tooth to be treated. This is simply a small piece of latex or rubber material that is held in place with a clamp to keep the area clean and dry during the procedure. Once the rubber dam is in place, the dentist can then begin the procedure.
The first thing that needs to be done is for all decay to be removed from the tooth, the root chamber and the root canals. To make sure all of the infected tooth structure is removed, the canals are shaped using a series of very small files that increase in diameter. After all decay and bacteria are removed, the canals need to be cleaned out with some type of disinfecting solution to prevent the spread of infection. Depending on the extent of the infection and the amount of work that has been done on the tooth, the dentist may elect to permanently fill the canals at this time, or some medication and a temporary filling may be placed in the opening while the dentist waits to make sure the infection subsides and the pain dissipates before permanently filling the opening during a subsequent appointment.
When the canals are ready to be permanently filled (either immediately or during an appointment a week or so later), this is done using a rubber-like material and a sealing paste. Since the tooth has been severely compromised in terms of strength and structure, a crown will need to be placed over any remaining tooth structure. In some cases, this may be done immediately or the patient may be told to wait for a short period before the crown is permanently placed on the tooth to ensure that the pain and infection has been eradicated.
Although there is some slight discomfort sometimes following a root canal procedure, in many cases, any pain felt is far less following the procedure compared to what was felt before the procedure was performed since the infection has been treated. The key is to take care of any issues as soon as possible when pain is felt so the extent of the abscess is kept to a minimum.
For more information about root canals or to schedule an appointment for a root canal procedure, contact Park Dental Care in Queens at 718-274-1515.
