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Root canal treatment has gotten an undeserved bad reputation in mass public opinion. Though no more painful than getting a filling done for a cavity, many people fear getting a root canal because they’ve heard that they are painful. In reality, the most painful part of a root canal is what you’re experiencing before the procedure is performed.
Here’s the list of the most common questions about root canals and the topics we’ll be covering in this blog post.
Table of Contents
History and Anatomy of the Tooth
More than 14 million teeth receive endodontic treatment, or root canal treatment, each year. “Endo” is the Greek word for “inside” and “odont” is the Greek word for “tooth”. Therefore, endodontic treatment is the treatment of the inside of your tooth.
Before we go into detail about root canal treatment, you should understand a little more about the anatomy of a tooth. The crown of your tooth (the part you can see) is made of an outer layer of enamel and an underlying layer of dentin.
Under both of those layers is the inner chamber of the tooth called the pulp chamber. The pulp chamber contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. The pulp extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root.
Though the pulp is important during development of the tooth, its only purpose in a fully mature tooth is for sensory perception. The pulp is the reason you can feel hot and cold through the tooth. Also, the presence or absence of the nerves is not vital for the function of the tooth. Meaning, with or without the nerves in a fully mature tooth, you will be able to chew your food just fine.
[Related: Endodontic Surgery: Root Amputation vs. Apicoectomy]
Why Would You Need a Root Canal?
Endodontic treatment becomes necessary when the tooth’s pulp becomes inflamed or infected due to:
- Injury or trauma, such as a blow to the tooth.
- Deep decay that reaches the pulp.
- Cracks or chips in the tooth that expose the inner tissue.
How Does the Infection Develop?
- When the pulp or nerve tissue is damaged, it breaks down.
- Bacteria multiply inside the pulp chamber, causing infection and decay.
- Because a dying nerve cuts off the blood supply, your body cannot send defenses to fight the infection.
What Happens if Left Untreated?
- Pain: The inflammation can become increasingly painful.
- Abscess Formation: A pocket of pus may form at the root tip when the infection spreads beyond the tooth root.
Root canals not only stop the infection but also prevent further complications, saving the natural tooth whenever possible.
[Related: Root Canal Too Narrow for Surgery]
Symptoms of inflammation or infection can include:
- tooth pain on pressure or biting
- prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold
- discoloration of the tooth
- swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums
- recurring pimple on the gums
You may also experience swelling that may spread to other areas of your face, neck or head. Untreated, the abscess can also lead to bone loss and eventual loss of the tooth.
How Do Root Canals Help?
The endodontist removes the pulp, along with bacteria and decayed nerve tissue. They carefully clean and shape the inside of the tooth, and then fill and seal the space.
Afterwards, your general dentist will place a crown or other restoration on the tooth to protect and restore it back to full function.
You may be asking yourself what if you don’t get the root canal? What’s the worst that could happen?
The bacteria will continue to break the tooth down. This can weaken your tooth even further to the point where you will lose them.
Likely you will also have bone loss associated with this, making the process of replacing your now missing tooth even more difficult.
Another possibility that is much more serious, is the systemic spread of the infection that could be life-threatening.
We’ve discussed before how your oral health is directly related to your heart, brain, lung, and other major organ health. Through your gums there is a direct blood pathway to all your major organs throughout your body, by not treating the bacteria you are giving them free access to your body’s transportation highway and direct routes to your heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, and liver. Now, if that’s not scarier than getting a root canal, I don’t know what is!
[Related: CT Scans for Root Canal Issues]
Are Root Canals Bad?
The short answer: No, there’s no need to be.
Root Canal Procedure
- A straightforward procedure where an endodontist removes an infection inside your tooth.
- This part of the tooth contains nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels, similar to how layers of skin protect your body.
How Has the Procedure Improved?
Modern advancements make root canals much more comfortable:
- Diagnostic Tools: Periapical x-rays help assess the health of the tooth from root to crown.
- Anesthesia Options:
- Local anesthesia is now standard, numbing the affected area with a combination of topical and injectable anesthetics.
- This approach is less invasive than general anesthesia and keeps you comfortable during the procedure.
So, Why Are Root Canals Not “Bad”?
- They effectively relieve pain caused by bacterial infections and inflammation.
- Compared to alternatives, they’re a better solution:
–Tooth Replacement: A more complicated and costly option.
–Severe Infections: Untreated dental infections can lead to life-threatening conditions like sepsis.
Root canals are about saving your natural tooth and protecting your overall health — not something to fear.
Root Canal Process
As we’ve stated earlier, root canals don’t need to be scary or painful. A root canal is essentially a very deep and thorough filling. You will be numbed just the same as you would for a filling. You should also feel nothing just as you would for a filling.
You might be wondering, well.. how long does a root canal take? Depends on the size of the tooth and the severity of the infection.
The process of cleaning and filling the tooth will take a little longer, probably around an hour to two hours, but should be pretty easy on your part. All you have to do is sit back, open wide, and relax.
Post-Treatment Root Canal Care
- After the root canal treatment is completed you will need to see your general dentist for some type of restoration. The unrestored tooth is susceptible to fracture and reinfection of bacteria.
- After going through the root canal once to save your tooth, you don’t want to have to undergo another treatment or lose the tooth completely, so make sure you get the tooth restored.
- Once the new restoration is put on all you need to do is make sure you brush, floss and go for your regular cleanings.
- Most root canal treated teeth last as long as all your other natural teeth. In a few cases the root canal can fail to heal. Sometimes it can also become diseased again months or even years after the initial successful treatment. If that happens there are other options to save the tooth, such as retreatment, root amputation, or apicoectomy.
In conclusion, root canal treatment, emerges as a vital resource for preserving dental health and avoiding serious complications. As we have explored, this procedure can save a tooth affected by deep infection or structural damage, restoring its functionality and relieving associated pain.
However, it is crucial to emphasize that the success of the treatment goes hand in hand with proper oral hygiene and regular dental checkups.
Through regular dental checkups, professionals can detect problems at early stages, before they require more invasive treatments such as root canal therapy. Leaving an infection untreated can have serious consequences, including the loss of the affected tooth and the spread of infection to other areas of the body.
Therefore, prevention and proactive dental care are fundamental to maintaining a healthy smile and avoiding complications that could easily be prevented.
Contact Cascadia Dental Specialists today for more information or to schedule an appointment!
