Root Canal Treatment
Why have root canal treatment instead of extraction? There are a lot of consequences when you have your natural teeth extracted.
Missing teeth can lead to bone loss and also cause your other teeth to shift. It can ruin your smile, change the way you look and lower your self-confidence. In terms of function, missing teeth can affect your ability to chew and even the way you speak.
Despite the availability of other tooth replacement methods, no denture, bridge or implant will look, feel and function as well as your natural tooth. With a 95% success rate, a root canal treatment can save your natural tooth for many years to come.
A root canal treatment is a procedure that repairs and saves a badly decayed or infected tooth. A root canal treatment can save your tooth from being extracted.
Extensive tooth decay, repeated dental procedures, a crack or chip in the tooth, trauma and faulty crowns can damage and cause inflammation or infection of the tooth’s pulp.
The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the root canal (the natural cavity within the center of the tooth) where the tooth’s nerve lies. Without root canal treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form.
During a root canal, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Should you be worried? No. The nerve’s function (after fully erupting from the gums) is limited to providing the sensation of hot and cold. The nerves in your tooth are not vital to its health and will not affect its function.
Is root canal painful? No. Root canal treatment is virtually painless. Having tooth extraction can be more painful, uncomfortable and may require a longer recovery period.