The surface of the teeth called the enamel may be considered as the hardest substance in the human body, but it can still be subjected to damage. A severely damaged tooth does not have to be extracted right away. With the availability of various restorative treatments, a tooth can be saved.
If the extent of the damage reached the pulp – the center of a tooth made up of nerves and living tissues – a different treatment should be performed to preserve the tooth. If the condition is left untreated, the dentist would not have any other choice but to extract the tooth. Thankfully, root canal therapy can be performed to remove the infected pulp and other affected areas of the tooth to prevent the issue from spreading further.
At Indian Hills Dentistry, we want to preserve our patients’ teeth at all costs. If the damage affects the inside of a tooth, we will recommend root canal therapy since we believe that it offers a high success rate of saving the structure from extraction. So if you happen to experience pain which seems to disappear, do not be fooled. It does not mean that the problem is fixed, an abscess may have formed, and this often reduces the pain felt by patients. If you are hesitant because the procedure is quite unfamiliar, we got you covered!
What happens during a root canal therapy?
The dentists who perform the procedure are called an Endodontist; they would first examine the tooth by taking x-rays. Doing so will help them determine the extent of the infection on the surrounding bones. To make patients comfortable, local anesthesia can be used around the area of the tooth to be treated. The treatment site should stay dry, to do so the dentist would place a dam using a rubber sheet around the tooth.
To gain entry to the tooth, an access hole will be drilled. Once ready, the pulp and other infected structured will be removed. The root will be thoroughly cleaned to make sure that no debris will be left that may cause future problems.
After it is cleaned, a biocompatible material called gutta-percha is placed with adhesives to seal the root canal completely. Temporary fillings will also be applied while waiting for the permanent restoration of the tooth. At Indian Hills Dentistry, we cover the treated tooth with dental crowns to make sure that it’s function and appearance is restored while staying well-preserved.
For more inquiries about Root Canal Therapy in Murfreesboro, TN, call us at Indian Hills Dentistry. You can also visit us at 2850 S. Church Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37127.