Root Canal Treatment: Procedure and Post Treatment Care
Do you experience a severe toothache in a specific tooth with lingering sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures even after removing the sensation? Do you have deep decay and darkening of the gums? These are typical symptoms of needing a root canal to eliminate infections inside the particular tooth. Visiting the dentist in Auburn for an examination will get you the information that you must have root canal treatment to preserve your natural tooth.
The severe pain and sensitivity you experience in the specific tooth indicate the decay has reached the soft center of your tooth to infect dental pulp containing blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves to create the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth during development.
The dental pulp extends from the tooth’s crown to the tip of the roots connecting to the tissues surrounding the root. During a tooth’s development and growth, the dental pulp is essential. However, after the tooth matures, it survives without the pulp because it receives nourishment from the tissues surrounding it.
Root Canal Procedure Explained
Root canals in Auburn are often completed in one or two visits, depending on which tooth needs the treatment. For example, molars with multiple canals require two visits, while a root canal on a front tooth is completed within 90 minutes by the Auburn dentist.
Although the procedure has a fearsome reputation, it helps preserve your natural tooth by eradicating infection in your mouth. When you arrive for your appointment, the dentist examines and takes x-rays of your tooth before giving anesthesia to numb the affected tooth. The tooth also receives protection with a dental dam to keep it free from contamination during the procedure.
Your dentist makes a tiny opening in the crown of your tooth. After that, using tiny instruments, they clean the infected dental pulp from its chamber and root canals to shape the space for a filling.
After cleaning and shaping the area, the specialist fills the root canal with a rubber-like biocompatible material called gutta-percha with adhesives to ensure the root canals are sealed entirely. You also receive a temporary filling in the access hole made in the crown of your tooth. Your regular dentist later removes the temporary filling to restore your tooth with a permanent filling or dental crown.
Root Canal Post Treatment Care
Whether you required an emergency root canal near me to preserve the natural tooth or underwent the procedure under normal circumstances, your dentist sends you home after the process with instructions for pain management and caring for your tooth. You must follow your dentist’s instructions if you have a temporary filling in your treated tooth.
As the anesthesia begins wearing off, you might feel some tenderness and mild soreness in your jaw. The temporary discomfort responds well to over-the-counter medications, or you can request prescription medications from your dentist if you find the pain overbearing.
The treated tooth feels different from your other teeth for some time. However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, you must ensure that you contact your dentist without delay.
You experience severe pain or pressure lasting over a few days and notice visible swelling inside or outside your mouth. You might have allergic reactions to medications provided, or the temporary filling falls out. If the symptoms you experienced before the treatment return, intervention by your dentist is essential.
You might find it challenging to eat after your procedure until the anesthesia wears off. Therefore you must avoid chewing and biting with the treated tooth until you have it restored by your dentist to prevent damage. However, you must brush and floss every day to keep the area clean and prevent infections.
After completing your root canal treatment and follow-up appointments, you must visit your dentist to have the tooth restored with a dental crown. The sooner you complete the restoration, the better to restore the strength, appearance, and functionality of the treated tooth. Therefore you must make an appointment with your dentist when the specialist completes work on your tooth. A correctly treated and restored and restored tooth will remain in your mouth as long as your remaining teeth.
Taking care of your teeth by brushing, flossing, and getting regular dental exams and cleanings ensures your dental health remains optimal and without infections in your mouth.
Sunrise Dental of Auburn frequently performs root canals on many patients to deliver excellent results. If you have excruciating pain in a specific tooth, kindly schedule an appointment with this practice to understand whether you need this specialized treatment to preserve your natural tooth.