Helping You Understand Root Canals

Posted on: 26 January 2021

Tooth decay is a common tooth ailment associated with people who do not observe good dental hygiene.

What Happens?

Bacteria multiply in your mouth and start eating away at your teeth. A tooth has three distinct layers: the outermost, enamel; the middle layer, dentine; and the innermost, pulp cavity.

Bacteria start eating away at your enamel. At this time, you may not feel anything, but you might notice food sticking on the top surface of your tooth, where a hole may have started forming.

When the hole starts getting deeper, you might start feeling some discomfort. This is because the hole is nearing your tooth nerves that are located inside the pulp cavity.

If you don't seek treatment at this stage, the hole will reach your pulp cavity. At this point, you will be in pain and risking a gum infection. Blood vessels are also contained in your pulp cavity; they create an entry point for bacteria, which can cause gum infection.

Treatment

There are three treatments when it comes to tooth decay:

Filling

This is only possible in the early stages of tooth decay and when the hole in your tooth has not reached the pulp cavity. That is why dentists insist that if you notice a hole in your tooth to visit the dental clinic as soon as possible. This process is simple and cheap, meaning see a dentist as soon as you suspect there is a hole in your tooth. The dentist drills out the decayed part and reshapes your tooth using a dental filling.

Root canal

This is the treatment performed when the hole caused by tooth decay has reached the pulp cavity. The dentist removes the blood vessels and nerves in your tooth and fills the cavity with a resin; this is a process that kills your tooth, but it is safe, so don't worry. The dentist then reshapes the tooth using a dental filling. Root canals are more expensive than a filling procedure and may require more work and skills; that is why they are performed by a specialist known as an endodontist. 

Tooth extraction

If a tooth is severely rotten, in such a way that filling and a root canal is not possible, the only option is tooth extraction. This means that your tooth will be removed, and you might need to think about getting an artificial tooth put in to fill the gap.

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