The root canal cavity present within each tooth houses the dental pulp that comprises the nerves and blood vessels. It is responsible for the nourishment of the tooth and its sensation. Although our teeth are covered by a hard layer of enamel on the outside, the microbes in the mouth may enter the root canal cavity and cause an infection of the dental pulp - leading to a root canal infection.
In most cases, root canal infection is caused due to untreated cavities that advance onto the deeper layers of a tooth. When the cavity reaches the root canal cavity, the microbes infect the pulp and cause severe infection that can put the tooth at risk of being extracted. Some of the other causes are gum disease like periodontitis, damaged teeth that are left untreated, etc.
Root canal therapy is often referred to as the last resort treatment method to save a severely infected tooth from being extracted. When you visit our dental practice for the initial consultation, we will screen the tooth thoroughly and understand the infection’s severity. If it is minor, we will treat it using medication and restorations. But, if the infection has advanced to the deeper stages, we will suggest root canal therapy to address it.
The tooth will be cleaned thoroughly, and a rubber dam will be placed on it to isolate it. Using high-precision dental instruments, we will make a tiny hole in the infected tooth through which we will remove the infected pulp. We use thin dental files of ranging sizes for this purpose. Once all the infected tissues have been removed, we will scrub the walls of the cavity to remove the microbes and other adhered debris. A jet of water will be used to wash away the removed microbial residues. Once this is done, we will place a small amount of antibiotic medication in the cavity and cover the hole using tooth-colored filling material.
Since the tooth could weaken after the procedure due to the lack of nourishment, we will restore it using a dental crown. It will hold the tooth intact and prevent any damage to it.
Please reach out to Table Mountain Dental in Arvada, CO, to have a consultation with our dentists. Please call us at (720) 749-2711 or schedule an online consultation, and we’ll guide you further.
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