Root Canals: Preparation, Procedure, and Realistic Expectations
Did your dentist advise a root canal treatment? Your first reaction to this might be panic and anxiety. In this guide, you will learn all that you need to free yourself from anxiety. Read on to know more.
Root canal treatment has become one of the most reliable treatment procedures to treat the inflamed soft tissues inside your tooth. With careful treatment by an expert dentist, a successful root canal treatment can resolve severe pain, sensitivity, and gum swelling.
Anxiety might be a natural response when hearing your dentist talk about root canal treatment, but learning all about the process will help overcome it. Learn what a root canal is and the exact process of getting it done, also know what you can expect from a root canal treatment.
So, without further delay, let’s start the discussion.
Root Canal Treatment (RCT): Brief Explanation
A root canal has become a common procedure to remove and treat soft infected nerves and tissues from inside your tooth. Your dentist cleans and seals the dental cavity to prevent further damage to the tooth.
The treatment requires the dentist to drill into the tooth with a diameter of a needle and extract all the infected pulp and soft tissues inside the tooth.
The nerves and pulp inside the tooth contain blood vessels, connective tissues that promote the growth of the tooth.
So, you might ask – ‘When do I need a root canal treatment?’
Signs You Need a Root Canal Treatment
When this tissue gets infected with bacteria and causes pain, your doctors might suggest a root canal treatment. You might have the following symptoms:
- Experiencing a severe toothache when chewing
- Difficulty consuming hot and cold beverages
- Swelling or tenderness in the gum
- Recurring pimples on the gums
Aside from these symptoms, you might have other issues, like a broken tooth in an accident, or something other than that, your dentist might need root canal treatment. If you live in Ottawa, check with a local endodontist in Ottawa.
Now, let’s look at the root canal procedure in detail.
How to Prepare for a Root Canal Treatment
If your dentist has decided to perform a root canal treatment, then he will first examine your tooth with an X-ray. Besides, the dentist can perform other tests to confirm if there is an infection in the tooth.
An endodontist in Ottawa might look for symptoms of infection in your teeth by asking if you feel pain in the tooth when chewing food. Or, he may check for a swollen gum.
What to Expect During a Root Canal Treatment?
During the process, the dentist or an endodontist in Ottawa will follow certain steps to complete the RCT successfully. These are as follows:
Step 1
Identify the tooth and apply local anaesthesia so that you do not feel pain during the process. If you feel anxious during the dental procedure, the dentist might use a conscious sedative medication by using nitrous oxide. It helps you relax and increase your pain tolerance level.
Step 2
To keep the mouth area clean, a dental dam or cotton can be used during the RCT procedure.
Step 3
Using a dental handpiece, the dentist makes a small hole in the crown of the tooth to access the infected pulp and soft tissues inside the tooth.
Step 4
Remove the infected pulp from inside and disinfect the area to prevent further infection inside the tooth.
Step 5
Fill the space with a rubbery material called gutta-percha. It is a biocompatible material derived from the Palaquium tree latex. The material is heated and placed inside the tooth to fill the space and seal the tooth temporarily.
Step 6
After a few days, the dentist will check the condition using an X-ray to see if there is any sign of new infections. If not, a permanent crown is placed to protect your tooth.
So, look for a reliable dentist in Downtown Ottawa to get an RCT done successfully.
What to Expect after an RCT?
Immediately after the RCT procedure is done, wait at the clinic for a few minutes. If no issues arise, you can head back to your home. After the crown is placed on the tooth, you can eat or drink hot/cold beverages as and when you like. There will be no dental sensitivity issues in that particular tooth.
Stay Prepared for Your Root Canal Treatment from a Reputed Clinic
Root Canal Treatment might sound terrifying at the beginning, but thanks to advanced medical science, you can have a painless procedure throughout. If you have difficulty chewing food or drinking hot/cold beverages, this might be the time to consult a dentist and get the issues resolved through RCT. Just remember not to chew hard foods soon after the RCT; wait until a permanent crown is placed on the tooth.
Choose a reliable dentist in Downtown Ottawa to get it done successfully.
