If you want to ensure that your teeth remain healthy, you need to adopt a good dental care routine each day. As part of this routine, it’s a good idea to take note of any changes to the appearance or feel of your teeth. A tooth that appears to be a different colour to others, or is sensitive, may be dead. If this is the case, your dentist may recommend root canal treatment as an option.
You may think that you should just have the tooth removed, but root canal treatment is often a better option. The most important thing to remember is that this treatment is nothing to be afraid of. If you do have a genuine fear of dental treatment, you should discuss this with your dentist, before you start treatment.
What happens when you have root canal treatment?
If you do need to have root canal treatment carried out, it’s useful to have an idea about what to expect. The first stage of the treatment involves the removal of all infected pulp from the root canal of the tooth. The whole area inside the root canal is then cleaned and filled with a rubber like material. The material needs to set before any further work can be done. This means that you are sent home at this point and an appointment is made for two weeks’ time.
When you return for the follow-up appointment, a crown is fitted to the tooth. Once this is done you can start to use the tooth properly again.
Why root canal treatment is a good idea
People often become concerned at the prospect of having root canal treatment, but there is actually nothing to worry about. If you delay in commencing the treatment, it could reach a point where it’s no longer an option for you. If this happens you would probably need to have the affected tooth removed, or opt to have dental implants fitted.
If you decide on the dental implants option, you will find that this process is actually more complicated than root canal treatment. It also costs you a lot more money to have this work carried out than it does to undergo root canal treatment. You can see why root canal therapy is often the best choice.
Many people hear horror stories about root canal treatment which are simply not true. It’s not an especially painful or lengthy process. You should only need to visit the dentist on a couple of occasions and any pain you experience can be managed effectively.
At the end of the treatment process you have a tooth that you can use as normal. You will also not experience any pain or sensitivity when you eat. It’s worth undergoing root canal therapy to get to this point.
