02/22 Why Go Through with Root Canal Treatment?
When a tooth is badly infected and decayed, the only option remaining other than losing the tooth completely is a Root Canal. With this treatment, the nerves and the pulp of the tooth are removed. The space is filled with cleaned and sealed. It may seem quite drastic to permanently remove the nerves and pulp from the tooth, but that is not the case. The nerves do not contribute to the tooth’s health. The only function of the nerves is to help discern hot and cold sensations. Other than that, they serve no useful purpose for the health of the tooth. That is why it is OK to remove them. With a successful procedure, the tooth can be saved with no long term health consequences.
Even though the nerves and pulp are not needed, many patients that are thinking about Root canal treatment wonder why it needs to be removed. The problem is that the nerves and pulp provide a location for bacteria to form. If there is a space for them to form, it can cause infection and tooth decay. Over time, the infection can cause a lot of problems and spread to other parts of the mouth. In addition, the tooth will be decayed to the point where it will be lost. That is why treatment is needed when this occurs.
The process of root canal filling is pretty standard. Most dentists have done this hundreds of times. It basically involves a couple of steps. The first step is to drill an access hole to the pulp and the nerves. The next step is to remove all of the inside material including any bacteria that has formed. The last step is to clean everything and then seal the access point. Some dentists may prefer to seal the tooth a week after in case of any problems such as a subsequent infection.
Most people who have significant tooth decay and infection need to undergo this procedure. The only alternative is the extraction of the tooth. Ignoring this problem is a serious mistake since the bacteria and infection can spread to many other areas of the mouth, causing even more problems. That’s why it is a good idea to get this problem taken care of at the dentist.