The term ‘root canal is often heard when people have problems with their teeth, and you may wish to know what exactly the term means.
A root canal is a procedure dentists like to use in repairing damaged teeth. Sometimes such teeth have serious decay so that they have even developed cavities, and other times they have a serious infection.
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Why Root Canal is Not Painful
It is important to know what happens during the root canal procedure; after all, information is power. Only when you understand what your dentist is bound to do with your teeth will you feel confident to book an appointment to undergo the procedure.
First of all, it is important to understand that pain is not an issue where a root canal is concerned. Reason – you are under local anesthesia as your dentist carries out the treatment. If there is anything you feel, it is some form of pressure on your gum, and you can also sense there is some movement going on. Otherwise, you can expect to leave the doctor’s clinic with far less pain and discomfort than you had when you came in.
What Does Root Canal Entail?
What the dentist does after the affected gum area has been numbed is extract all the pulp within the tooth that has an infection, and then proceed to clean and disinfect the location.
Once the tooth area is free from all disease-causing micro-organisms, the doctor fills the cavities with some rubber-like material and finishes off by fitting your tooth with a dental crown.
Who Needs Root Canal?
Not everyone with toothache needs a root canal. Most dentists recommend the procedure to people whose teeth are cracked; those who will feel pain no matter what they do, when air penetrates the tooth cavity and gets to the nerves.
Others who need to undergo root canals are those who have had teeth problems in the past and got the cavities filled, but then the filling has fallen off and exposed them to pain and infection.
There are still other people whom dentists recommend for the procedure because their teeth are so sensitive that mealtimes are a nightmare – whether their food is hot or cold is a problem. Their teeth are unbearably sensitive.
Generally, if you want to have a good idea if you are a good candidate for root canal, there are a few signs you can look out for.
- Do you experience serious pain when biting something?
- Do you feel some pimples on your gum?
- Are any of your teeth cracked?
- Do your teeth have cavities?
- Does the sensitivity of your teeth linger for long after you have drunk or bitten something?
- Does your gum feel tender?
- Is your gum darker than normal?
- Is your gum swollen?
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, you are likely to require a root canal.
Does the Effect of a Root Canal Last Long?
Yes, fortunately, it does! A root canal is not one of those procedures you undergo and then have a series of appointments set for you. As a matter of fact, you may never have to go back to the dentist’s clinic after your root canal.
For those who do return, it is after a remarkably great number of years; and the reason is simple. The pain you felt before the procedure is all gone. If your mouth emitted a foul smell from the rot in your gums, that too is no longer an issue. After that kind of period, your root canal teeth might need to be extracted. On that kind of cases dentists suggest dental Implants as a last resort.
You no longer have cavities to make the nerve ends of your teeth sensitive, and any areas where the enamel had been eroded are now well covered.
In short, after a root canal, the health of your teeth is reinstated, and your entire mouth feels whole and fresh – and you forget you ever had dental issues!
How to Identify a Great Dentist for Root Canal
First of all, a great dentist is one who has the capacity to bring a smile back to your face. This means one who is able to treat you until your pain is no more, and the pain does not resurface after a while.
This is also the kind of dentist who discharges you with your teeth brighter than before. Obviously, in order for the dentist to treat you properly, he/she has to be in a clinic that has appropriate modern equipment.
What this, in essence, means is that as you do your due diligence, the state of the clinic must be top on your list of things to check. See that the clinic you are considering is well-equipped.
If you are anticipating undergoing the root canal procedure, your pertinent questions should be:
- Does this clinic have a root canal explorer?
- Does it have ultrasonic instruments?
- Does it have endodontic burs?
- Does it have excavators?
- Does it have the barbed broach?
- Does it have files and reamers, appropriate drills, and any of the tools a dentist needs to do a clean job on your gum and teeth?
- Do dental clinics have dental clinic reviews on Trustpilot?
Of course, it is not like you are expected to visit a dental clinic and begin taking stock of their inventory, but you should be able to sit and make inquiries that will draw out the information you want.
You could, for example, request to be told how the doctor goes about carrying out the root canal procedure. If the items mentioned point to the use of rudimentary methods, it is time to move on to another location to continue your search.
However, if the doctor explaining to you speaks of modern tools and equipment, and speaks about the need for precision in carrying out the root canal procedure, it may be a good time to book an appointment before the list of patients becomes too long!
In short, there may be several dental clinics in your city, but for you to have your precious smile back you must, of necessity, choose a clinic with appropriate modern equipment and one whose dentists are skilled, licensed and patient-friendly.
