What is a root canal?
A root canal is a procedure or treatment that is in charge of cleaning the canals of the tooth when there is a cavity and there is an infection. What we do is basically clean the nerve and seal the roots with a sealing material.
What are the signs that you might need a root canal?
The signs can be pain, cold sensitivity that lingers or throbs. Also, if your face gets swollen with an infection, those are signs that you are going to need a root canal.
What can happen if you don't get a root canal?
You might end up with a severe toothache, with your face swollen from a severe infection. The next option is that you may lose the tooth, which means that you're going to have a space, a gap, where you're going to be more uncomfortable when you're trying to chew. And of course, if it's in the aesthetic area, that is going to show when you smile or speak.
Also, what can happen is if you don't do the root canal, you get your tooth pulled, and then the other teeth are going to start shifting and moving, and that can create a lot of other issues.
What type of dentist can perform root canals?
Typically, a root canal can be done by a general dentist. General dentists are more than capable of doing root canals. If you have a complicated root canal, meaning that your canals are calcified or your roots have a weird anatomy, meaning that they're curved or anything that cannot be addressed by a general dentist, then typically you will go and see the specialist, the endodontist.
Can a root canal treatment help to save a tooth?
The answer is absolutely yes. Because if you don't do the root canal, you're going to get the tooth pulled, and then you might need an implant, or you might need a bridge. So everything is a bigger problem, a bigger investment in time, and a financial investment.
What is the process of getting a root canal treatment?
Basically, we will get you in as soon as possible if you're in pain, of course, and then we will get you numb with local anesthetics. Then we will isolate your tooth from the rest of your mouth in order to protect the rest of your mouth and your throat. We will remove the cavity. We will clean those canals very well. We will instrument the canals, and then we will seal the canals with a sealer.
And of course, then comes the restorative part, which is building it up and putting a nice crown on top of the tooth that received the root canal.
Are root canals dangerous?
Not really. Root canals are not dangerous. Totally the opposite. Root canals are going to help you keep your tooth and help you control the infection that you potentially have.
What are the possible side effects of a root canal?
Possible side effects can be that you may be sore after it because, of course, it's a procedure that can trigger inflammation around the tissue and the tooth that you get the root canal done on, and then also you can have some sensitivity when chewing.
It varies between patients because, of course, we're all different and we heal at different rates, but normally you can expect to be sore when chewing. You can expect to be sore around the gums.
Do you need a dental crown or a permanent filling after a root canal?
You should get a crown after a root canal. Sometimes you can get a filling if it's a front tooth that is really not destroyed by the cavity, that has a lot of tooth structure to hold itself without the crown. But typically, a crown is indicated after you have a root canal done. Because teeth after root canals typically become really dry and brittle. They lose their strength, so they're more prone to crack and fracture.
What should be done after a root canal treatment?
You just need to be careful about what you chew or eat. Other than that, there's no contraindication to your regular activities after you get a root canal done.
What if your tooth hurts after getting a root canal?
Totally normal. It's just a healing process. After we do a root canal, you're going to go through an inflammation process, and then your body is going to start healing. It's just a healing curve that can normally take between 5 to 10 days, but you can expect some soreness. That's mainly what you can expect after a root canal.
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