Root Canal = Pain Right?
Wrong! the root canal treatment actually stops the pain. The tooth is made up of a hard layer of enamel on the outside, a strong core of dentin on the inside, and a very small hollow area in the very center called the “root canal”. Sometimes this hollow area gets damaged or infected with bacteria causing pain. The “Root Canal Treatment” (or the treatment that the root canal hollow needs) is to clean all the bacteria and damaged areas out of that small hollow and fill it in so that no more bacteria can live in there.This treatment is a very light touch, delicate procedure because the hollow can be as small as one-tenth of a millimeter. A small hole is made in the biting surface of the tooth going down into the hollow area and the hollow is smoothed, filed, shaped, flushed, and rinsed. When clean it is filled with a soft rubbery material which is glued and sealed into place. The whole procedure is slow and boring for you as a patient but it stops the pain and lets you keep the tooth indefinitely. A back tooth may take as long as 60-90 minutes while a front tooth may be as quick as 40-50 minutes. There should be no feeling during any of the Root Canal Treatment.
In many cases, if you have a toothache we may start the Root Canal cleaning to get you out of pain on one day, and then finish the final cleaning and filling another day.
Tooth ache can have several causes which may lead to needing a Root Canal Treat
Abscessed tooth is– A tooth with bacteria stuck inside of it. The bacteria grow out the end of the tooth and make pain in the bone around the tooth.
Dead tooth is–A tooth where the normal blood vessles, connective tissue and nerve living in the root canal have died.
Pain which: -gets you up at night -or starts with no stimulation -or keeps on going after you have had hot or cold on your tooth -or makes your tooth feel too tall or out of line -or hurts when you tap on your tooth can be easily relieved with a Root Canal Treatment.
Discoloration or darkening of teeth can happen when a tooth is bumped or injured or needs a Root Canal Treatment.
Often they can be bleached or covered to make it match again. Sick and dead teeth don’t get better on their own.
Please come and see us if you have any of the above conditions causing you pain. Call 320-762-2122.