Root Canals
Getting a root canal done is one reason why a majority of patients flock to a dental clinic. Bad eating habits and carelessness in maintaining oral hygiene leads to dental problems which cause a tooth to get infected and start decaying. Infections in the tooth can be caused due to any reason like excess of sweets, not cleaning the teeth regularly etc. A root canal is essentially a procedure to remove the tooth’s infection and give it added strength and protection.
When is a root canal needed
A root canal is recommended by a dentist in the following conditions:
- The tooth is infected because of dental injury or general decay. There may also be a chance of the infection spreading to other teeth.
- Enhanced tooth sensitivity to hot and cold food items.
- When there are shooting pains in the tooth while biting down or clenching the jaw.
How is a root canal performed
The procedure of root canal is basically to remove the infected pulp which is present in the middle of the tooth and in the canals of the root of the teeth. It is this pulp to which the nerve endings of the tooth and blood supply are connected and when it becomes infected, it is removed and replaced with a rubber like material to seal the tooth. The tooth is also crowned to make up for the weakness caused by removal of pulp.
Advantages of root canal
In case of an infected tooth, a root canal is the only procedure to save the tooth and prevent the infection from spreading. Needless to say, root canal is an extremely important and advantageous dental treatment.