By markhenry1513 March 28, 2015 - 2:52am

The phrase “root canal” seems to be quite overused in the dental field, but not everyone truly understands this treatment and its importance. If you recently received a recommendation from a dental professional to undergo root canal treatment, you need to learn more about this procedure and how it can really help you achieve better dental health.

What Happens to the Root Canal when Infected?

When a cavity forms on the tooth surface, it can spread in different directions. If the cavity continues to spread into the tooth, it can reach the root canals: the hollow areas in the center of the tooth root where the pulp is located. Each tooth has two roots and each root has a canal in the middle. The pulp is found in the very center of the tooth and it extends into the root canals and alveolar bone where it connects to nerve endings.

Since the pulp is connected to the nerves, when it gets infected, it causes extreme pain and inflammation. The purpose of root canal treatment is to remove the pulp and clean out all the bacteria inside the tooth. The pulp does not hold an important function apart from giving teeth sensation, which means removing it will not affect the functionality or health of the tooth and gums.

Why Root Canal Treatment is Necessary

If root canal treatment is not done in time, you may experience the following complications:
1. The infection from inside the tooth will spread to other parts of the tooth, including the gums. This can lead to periodontal disease in addition to root canal infection, requiring more treatment, more expenses, and more pain.

2. An infected tooth can get painful, but if the tooth doesn’t get treated right away, it can end up with a dead pulp. Sure, there won’t be any pain, but the pulp will continue to decay inside the tooth and end up killing the rest of the healthy tooth material.

3. When a tooth is infected, it will darken to a grayish color because of the deterioration of healthy tooth material. This kind of stain is irremovable and will require a veneer covering or total tooth restoration.

4. If the root canal infection continues to spread, it can eat away not only the pulp but also the tooth roots, resulting in the loosening of the tooth. If this happens, the tooth will require extraction or even fall out on its own. You will need a more expensive dental restoration to replace the missing tooth as compared to restoring a root canalled tooth.

How Root Canal Treatment is Done

The first step is to go to your dentist for examination and diagnosis. If your dentist decides that root canal treatment is the best solution to your problem, a treatment plan will be developed from cleaning to restoration. You will be asked to visit the dental clinic multiple times. The infected tooth will be opened and the root canals will be cleaned out, polished, and filled with gutta-percha. Afterwards, you can choose to get a crown or onlay to restore the hollowed part of the tooth. Root canal treatment can keep the remaining tooth material healthy and it can even last your entire lifetime without needing extraction.

Who Should You Go to for Root Canal Treatment?

Many dentists offer root canal treatment, but you can get the best root canal therapy in Rocklin, CA. The search for the best dentist is a quick one if you know where to find them. You can also use online searches to read reviews made by real people. Picking the best dentist will make your experience much more satisfying, especially if the dentist provides excellent aftercare. That way, you can get the best value for your money.