What is a Root Canal? Causes, Signs, Procedure




The root canal can be described as the inner part of your tooth, which is between our tooth root and the pulp. The term also pertains to the procedure that involves the removal of the infected pulp to relieve tooth pain. Once your adult teeth erupt, the remaining purpose of the nerve is to sense cold and heat—in other words it plays a sensory role. Root canal therapy in St. Albert involves the removal of the nerve in the patient’s infected tooth.

A Comprehensive Guide on Root Canals in St. Albert

Endodontic treatment or root canal treatment is the proper dental term for this dental procedure. It deals with the nerve of the infected tooth. Endodontics is an area of dentistry, that specializes in dealing with issues related to the pulp and the surrounding tissues. Problems that affect the root canal can be addressed by the general dentist near you or by an endodontist.

Signs that You Need Root Canal Treatment

There are various things that can cause damage to the nerve or the pulp of your teeth. The patient will usually experience some symptoms that will tell them that they need to consult their dentist for root canal treatment. However, there are also instances when the problem will produce no symptoms at all. It is recommended to schedule regular dental appointments to identify these problem early on. Nonetheless, here are some symptoms that you should pay attention to.
  • Pain: A toothache will usually be the first sign that a person will need root canal treatment. The pain that you will feel will be specific. Some people will feel extreme sensitivity to hot and cold foods. You can also experience pain that will keep you awake in the middle of the night. Pain can also be felt when you are chewing or putting pressure on your teeth. Tooth pain does not necessarily mean that you will have to go through root canal therapy. Sometimes, the pain may be related to different symptoms that require another procedure at your dental clinic in St. Albert. For this reason, you should visit your dentist immediately if you are experiencing a toothache, to determine the underlying cause and seek treatment.
  • Infection: If there is a sign of infection in your tooth, the dentist may recommend root canal therapy in St. Albert.  Abscess refers to the type of infection that develops once the pulp dies and a pocket filled with pus is formed. The pus will then accumulate around the area of the nerve tissue which causes the actual infection.
  • A Deep Cavity: Once the damage has reached the pulp, it is possible for the pulp to be infected by the bacteria. The patient will then experience pain and inflammation. The dentist can only remove the infected tooth by performing root canal treatment.

What to Expect

If the dentist near you recommends root canal therapy, they will first take imaging or X-rays of the root. They will then perform a vitality test of the root. To conduct the pulp test, the dentist will use cold stimuli to check if the infected tooth will respond. The other teeth will also be checked to compare how each of them responds to the stimulus. Once the dentist verifies that a root canal in St. Albert is necessary, the process will be completed in 1-2 dental appointments. Each appointment may last for about 90 minutes.

The amount of times you need to return to the dental clinic in St. Albert for a follow-up will depend upon the duration and the size of the abscess. There are also other determining factors. Before the start of the treatment, the dentist will use local anesthesia to ensure that the patient will not experience any pain. A rubber dam should be placed after the affected site has been numbed. A microscope that hangs on the mouth of the patient will also be used during the procedure. This gives the dentist the ideal magnification that allows them to locate and effectively treat the problem. For more information on root canal therapy, visit our dental clinic near you.

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