It’s amazing how much people hear root canals and get nervous. While it has certainly been associated with some rather negative connotations, a root canal is a very important and sometimes crucial dental procedure that could mean the difference between having a healthy smile and losing a permanent tooth. From the office of our Waltham, Cambridge, Burlington and Lexington, MA, endodontist, Dr. Ramzi Antoine Sarkis, find out more about a root canal treatment and how it might just help your smile.
When is a root canal necessary?
One of our Waltham, Cambridge, Burlington and Lexington dentists will recommend this restorative treatment if a large cavity or injury has damaged the roots of a tooth and led to inflammation or infection.
What happens during a root canal?
Before we even enter the tooth we will numb the area with a local anesthesia. Once the anesthesia has taken effect we will make an opening at the top of the tooth so that we can access the dental pulp.
Then a special tool, known as an endodontic file, is placed into the tooth to help remove the infected or inflamed pulp, as well as the infection. Once the inside of the tooth has been fully cleaned (including the tooth canals) we will place a filing material into the canals of the tooth to prevent reinfection.
Then the opening of the tooth is often sealed up with a temporary material to protect it while a temporary dental crown or filling is being made. Often time, a dental crown is the restoration that is placed over a tooth after a root canal to protect it from further damage and to restore strength back into the structure. Most people notice fast pain relief after their root canal since this treatment is designed to remove the areas of the tooth that are causing you significant pain.
A root canal is truly nothing to fear. It is designed to preserve your tooth so that you have it for years to come. Lexington Endodontics in the Waltham, Cambridge, Burlington and Lexington, MA, area is dedicated to making sure your smile always gets the care it needs so that it remains healthy.