What is endodontic treatment, also known as a root canal or root canal therapy? It is the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the pulp (the soft tissue inside the tooth). The pulp of the tooth contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue, which are important in tooth development.
Why should you have endodontic treatment performed on your tooth? We provide endodontic services to save your natural teeth, and a root canal treatment is a safe and effective means of saving the originally damaged tooth.
Our procedure involved in root canal therapy consists of:
Step 1: We obtain access to the infected pulpal tissue. This is accomplished by establishing a small access opening in the top of the tooth. It will be done under a local anesthetic. We provide nitrous oxide analgesia/laughing gas and sedation if so desired.
Step 2: The length of the root canals are determined and the infected pulp is removed. This is done with the aid of microsurgical instruments, a dental laser, and a surgical microscope if needed.
Step 3: The canals where the infected pulp was located are reshaped and prepared to accept a special root canal filling material.
Step 4: The final step in your root canal therapy will be sealing of the root canals with a sterile, inert material called gutta percha. This is done in order to prevent possible future infection.
Step 5: After the tooth is asymptomatic we will fabricate a final restoration ( a filling or a crown).
Myths about Root Canal Therapy:
Myth: Root canal treatment is painful.
Truth: Root canal treatment does not cause pain, it relieves it. Most patients see their dentist when they have a toothache. This toothache can be caused by damaged tissues in the tooth. Root canal treatment removes the damaged tissue, thereby relieving the pain you feel. The perception of root canals being painful began decades ago when root canal treatment was painful, but now with the latest technologies and anesthetics root canal treatment is as comfortable as having a filling placed.
Myth: Root canal treatment causes illness.
Truth: Root canal treatment is a safe and effective procedure. Over the past years a very small number of dentists and physicians have been claiming that teeth that have received root canal treatment contribute to the occurrence of illness and disease in the body. This claim is based on outdated research performed by Dr. Weston Price from 1910-1930. His research stated that bacteria trapped in the teeth during root canal treatment can cause almost any type of disease including: arthritis, heart disease, kidney disease, and others.
Studies conducted in later years showed no relationship between the presence of endodontically treated teeth and the presence of illness.The presence of bacteria in the mouth has been accepted fact for many years. However the presence of bacteria does not constitute "infection" and is not necessarily a threat to a person's health. Bacteria are present in the mouth and teeth at all time, even in teeth that have never had a cavity or trauma (healthy teeth).
