What is a Root Canal?

Did you know that just like an orange, your teeth contain something called pulp? The pulp that is inside your teeth contains connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. Should the pulp or nerves within a tooth become inflamed or infected, a root canal treatment may be the best way to eliminate the problem.

The painful inflammation within dental pulp or nerve tissue can be the result of a few things. A deep, untreated cavity is one cause. A patient who has had a repeated number of dental procedures may develop diseased pulp within one or more of their teeth. Of course an injury resulting in a cracked or chipped tooth could lead to this type of problem. There is also the possibility that you may have injured a tooth and be unaware of it. That’s because not all injured teeth cause pain or exhibit signs of trauma.

If your dentist or endodontist determines that the pulp or nerve tissue is inflamed or diseased, the next step may be to remove it. A dental professional’s goals will be to save the tooth and alleviate a patient’s discomfort. Ignoring the problem could lead to painful swelling, bone loss, and infection. A root canal is the procedure that will alleviate all that!

During a root canal, the diseased tissue will be cleaned in an effort to save as much of it as possible. After the tissue is evaluated, the dentist will then clean and seal the tooth’s pulp chamber and root canal. To prevent the occurrence of further problems, a rubberlike substance called gutta percha, is put into the tooth’s root canal. To preserve as much of the tooth as possible, it is often fitted with a permanent crown.

If you think you may need a root canal or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Melcher, please visit our website or call us at 919-782-0548.