Root Canal

When you have a damaged or infected tooth, it can be painful in some cases. You will not enjoy eating or life in general because of the pain. You know you need a dentist because you are displaying symptoms that require a Root canal, but because of the scary stories you have heard, you stay away from the doctor. Unfortunately, you are not alone. Many people are scared of the procedure when they do not know what it entails and the relief you get once treated. When displaying symptoms and your tooth is damaged, you need to identify a qualified dentist to determine the problem and perform the procedure. At La Puente Emergency Dentist, we have years of experience in treating teeth related issues and using the latest techniques in the Root canal.

Overview of Root Canal

When your tooth is severely destroyed and infected, a root canal may be the treatment required to save or repair it. A root canal involves the removal of the damaged part, typically the pulp, having it cleaned and disinfected, filled and sealed.

Many things can affect the pulp, but the common ones are cracked teeth, cavities running deep, repeated treatment of a tooth by a dentist resulting in its trauma, among others. In simpler terms, the tooth canal involves cleaning the canals found in the root of a tooth.

Dental Pulp

The soft or tender region in the middle of a tooth that contains blood vessels, connective tissues, and nerves is the pulp. The root contains the tooth nerves. The root canal travels from the beginning of the root to the chamber where the pulp is found.

The nerve of a tooth is not essential for its health or function once it has protruded through the surface. The only purpose of the nerve is sensory that helps determine when something is cold or hot. Whether a tooth has the nerve or not, it does not affect its regular or routine functions. However, once treated, the tooth is less likely to get fractured.

Why it is Necessary to Remove the Pulp

Damage to the pulp means a multiplication of bacteria in the chamber containing the pulp. The formed bacteria and the decaying pulp usually remains, resulting in an infection on the tooth, resulting in an abscessed tooth. An abscess is a pocket-like, filled with pus found at the bottom of the root. Aside from the abscess, the infected root canal will also cause:

Swelling of the gum that often spreads to other parts such as the neck, face or head.
Loss of bone around the end of the root.
Problems with drainage that extends outwards of the root. Additionally, a hole may appear on the tooth’s side that drains to the skin through the cheeks or into the gums.

Symptoms Indicating You Need Root Canal Treatment

As earlier stated, when the tooth pulp is irritated, infected, or inflamed, it damages the tooth pulp. A trauma to your face, fillings, dental procedures, or cracks on a tooth can be reasons for the damaged pulp requiring a root canal.

When you experience some of the following symptoms, it may mean you need to get root canal treatment. These include:

Suffering through significant pain when you chew or apply pressure on a tooth.
After being exposed to hot or cold temperatures, the teeth experiencing long periods of sensitivity even when the item with the temperatures is long removed.
The tooth may begin to discolor, mostly darkening.
The gums surrounding the tooth become tender and swell.
Having a pimple that is recurring or persistent on the surrounding gum.

What is Pulpitis with Regard to the Root Canal?

As earlier stated, a root canal is a dental procedure used when treating a damaged or decayed tooth. The disease that infects the pulp is known as pulpitis. After examining your dental health, your dentist determines if you have pulpitis. If so, he or she will recommend the root canal procedure.

The pulp contains nerves and blood. When a bacterium invades it, a painful inflammation is felt. This infection is what is known as pulpitis. Pulpitis exists in two forms; irreversible and reversible. When the dentist tells you that you have reversible pulpitis, it means the infection is not as severe, and pulp can be saved. Irreversible pulpitis, on the other hand, is when the inflammation is severe and significant damage has been done to the pulp, such that it cannot be salvaged.

When the pulpitis is so severe or irreversible, it causes an infection known as a periapical abscess. This is found at the root of an infected tooth and results in forming a pus pocket. When not treated, the infection spreads to the brain, sinus, or the jaw.

Symptoms of Pulpitis

The symptoms of pulpitis are the reason you visit your dentist complaining of discomfort in your mouth. When you have pulpitis, irrespective of the type, you will experience pain. With reversible pulpitis, however, the pain is milder, and you only experience it when eating.

Irreversible pulpitis, on the other hand, will cause you severe pain that is felt all the time. Aside from the pain, other signs that you could be suffering from pulpitis and need a root canal to treat it are:

Suffering inflammation around the infected tooth.
Being overly sensitive to cold or hot foods.
Experiencing discomfort when you eat very sugary foods.

If you have irreversible pulpitis, you will experience more symptoms aside from the standard ones. These include:

Experiencing a high fever.
Having your lymph nodes swollen.
Your breath becomes abnormally foul.
Experiencing lousy taste in your mouth.

As earlier stated, you can save a tooth when the pulp is not severely damaged. When you start experiencing the listed symptoms, it is wise to visit a dentist as early as possible. Delayed dental visits will accelerate the condition to become irreversible, resulting in your losing the tooth.

Causes of Pulpitis

When your tooth is healthy, the dentin and enamel act as protection against infection to the pulp. When the protective layers of the tooth are compromised, pulpitis occurs. This damage to the protective coatings allows the formation of bacteria that infects the pulp and causes swelling. The infected pulp because it is at the center of the tooth stays trapped but causes swelling of the gums and pain.

Various conditions are responsible for the damage to dentin and enamel. Some of these include:

When your tooth decays, or you have cavities that erode the tooth.
Experiencing an injury that causes an impact on a tooth.
When your tooth is fractured exposing the pulp.
Trauma as a result of repetitive dental procedures like misalignment of the jaw or bruxism.

Risk Factors for Pulpitis

Any situation that enhances the possibility of developing tooth decay, like using water not fluoridated, will increase the risk of pulpitis. Certain medical conditions like diabetes also increase the likelihood of developing pulpitis. Both adults and children are at risk of developing pulpitis, but their dental or oral hygiene practices highly determine the possibility.

Your lifestyle habits will also enhance the possibility of your developing pulpitis. These habits may include:

Failing to brush your teeth after eating or avoiding regular dental checkups.
Consuming high sugar diets or having drinks and foods that increase the risk of tooth decay like processed carbohydrates.
Engaging in hobbies or a profession that exposes your mouth to forceful impacts like hockey or boxing.
Chronic bruxism (grinding together of teeth).

Diagnosing Pulpitis

When you experience the discussed symptoms, you may suspect to have pulpitis, but you need a dentist to confirm the condition. On examining your teeth, your dentist may order an X-ray to establish how inflamed or decayed your tooth is.

Your dentist may also carry out a sensitivity test. This is to test your level of discomfort when your tooth is exposed to sweet, cold, or hot stimuli. Your response and how long you react to the trigger will help decide if the pulp is affected in totality or it is partially affected.

A tooth tap test is also used by the dentist to determine how extended the inflammation is. With this test, the dentist uses a light blunt instrument to tap the infected tooth lightly. Your reaction, once again, will help the dentist in his or her diagnosis.

Another gadget used to test the extent of damage to your pulp is the electric pulp tester. With this device, small electrical charges are delivered to the pulp. If you can feel the electric charge, it means it is possible to reverse the pulpitis.

Treating Pulpitis

Methods to treat pulpitis are different depending on how significant the pulp is damaged or whether your condition is irreversible or reversible. For instance, if your dentist determines your status is reversible, he or she will treat the reason for the inflammation. Once this is done, you stop experiencing the symptoms, as earlier discussed.

When your condition is irreversible, your dentist if, an endodontist specialist, will recommend a suitable treatment procedure. If your tooth is salvageable, a process known as pulpectomy will be used. This process entails the initial stage in the root canal. During this process, the infected pulp is extracted, leaving the tooth intact. After removal of the pulp, your dentist disinfects fills and seals the hole as it shall be described in detail below.

In some cases, it may require a total extraction of the damaged tooth. This is recommended when the dentist establishes that it is impossible to save it.

After the treatment procedure, you must inform your dentist if you experience any of the following:

Excessive pain that keeps increasing in magnitude.
Swelling on the outside or inside of the mouth.
Feeling pressure in your mouth.
Having your prior symptoms come back or not ceasing.

Pulpitis is avoidable if one practices excellent oral hygiene as advised by their dentist. Regular dental checkups are also important because they help diagnose the disease before it gets worse, enabling the saving of the tooth.

The Process of Performing a Root Canal in Treating Pulpitis

After experiencing the above symptoms, you will need to visit your dentist, who will evaluate your dental health and recommend a root canal if he or she finds it necessary. Sometimes, you may not display any symptoms, but on your routine dental visits, your dentist recommends the root canal. This is also possible, and it is crucial to deal with the problem before it gets worse.

The process of performing a root canal is not as complicated as it is perceived to be. If ordered to a root canal therapy, you will only require two visits to your dentist through the four steps. The steps or procedure of the treatment involves:

The dentist will inject local anesthesia that numbs the tooth. You may experience slight discomfort as the drug is injected in. Once your tooth is numb, your dentist may put a small rubber that separates the tooth and keeps it dry and clean as the procedure goes on. This is known as the dental dam.
Next, using small tools that include a drill, he or she will try to get inside the tooth. This is done after making an opening at the top of the tooth. Using tiny files, the dentist will clear the damaged and infected pulp from the tooth’s inside. Using the files still, the dentist will shape the inside chamber and root. If needed, he or she will use water to saturate the chamber to clean any residues of the pulp. In case your dentist suspects there to be bacteria in the chamber, a solution of antimicrobial will be used to eliminate any bacteria that could be remaining. This is necessary for avoiding further infection of the tooth.
After the thorough cleaning and drying of the chamber, the dentist will work to fill it. The commonly used material is gutta-percha, which is rubber-like. The dentist will seal the opening on the tooth as you wait to be fitted with a permanent crown, using temporary filling.
The last step of the treatment happens after some weeks. Your dentist in completing the procedure will place a crown or any restoration that resembles a crown on the tooth. The dentist will also examine your natural tooth’s condition and decide if a supporting post is needed in the root chamber. This support is sometimes necessary when your dentist suspects your tooth cannot support the crown as it should.

What You Should Expect When Ordered to a Root Canal Treatment

When ordered to a root canal, it is essential to understand the various procedures that you will go through. These include:

X-ray – When your dentist recommends a root canal or suspects that you need it, to ascertain the location of the decay, he or she will order for X-rays or use existing ones if any.
Anesthesia - Before the procedure commences, you will be injected with a local anesthesia drug that is targeted to the tooth. This is a simple procedure with minimum discomfort and not painful as one may imagine.
Pulpectomy – On the problematic tooth, an opening is made and the infected pulp removed.
Filing – The opened roots are then filled with a filling to replace the drained pulp. The hole is sealed using dental cement.

Is the Procedure of Root Canal Painful?

This is one of the most popular myths about the root canal. Many people believe it is painful, with some discouraging others against it. The truth is, the procedure is not painful. Most patients of root canal say that the discomfort during a root canal treatment is similar to that of getting a filling fixed.

What to Expect After a Root Canal Procedure

Once the treatment is completed, your tooth will be overly sensitive because of the inflammation of the tissue. This is expected with the process. The sensitivity is enhanced when you felt pain on the tooth, or you had an infection before the treatment was carried out. The discomfort after that is easily contained using over the counter drugs like ibuprofen or other pain killers. After a day or two, most patients report that they can go on with their duties as before.

Before the total completion of the root canal treatment, you are asked to reduce chewing with the tooth getting treatment. This helps avoid recontamination of the tooth and preventing a tooth that is fragile from chipping before restoring the tooth entirely.

Is Root Canal Treatment Successful?

This treatment is rated as one of the highly successful ones. The success rate of this procedure is over 95%, with most teeth fixed through this procedure lasting a lifetime. Additionally, the final stage into the process involves applying a restoration crown, and it takes the natural look of your teeth. This means it blends well, and no one will be able to know you had the procedure performed.

Risks of Root Canal Treatment

Your dentist will always try their best to remove the infected pulp and seal your tooth. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, sometimes other infections may come up. Some of the causes for this are:

When the tooth has over the usual amount of root canals, and accidentally, one is left unclean.
When the tooth has a crack that is left undetected.
An inadequate or defective dental restoration was allowing bacteria through to the inner parts in the tooth and contaminating it again.
When the sealing material breaks down with time, it allows bacteria buildup to recontaminate the inner tooth.

When the tooth is damaged again due to recontamination, doing root canal treatment again may be helpful. Other times, to save the tooth, endodontic surgery is tried. There are various procedures in endodontic surgery. The most prevalent of them is root-end resection or apicoectomy. With this procedure, the infection or inflammation of the bony section at the end of the tooth is relieved. The dentist removes the tissue with the disease through a small incision on the gum. Sometimes, the procedure may require removing the bottom of the root. Afterward, a filling is placed that seals the incision to avoid further contamination.

The Cost of Having a Root Canal Procedure

The severity of the problem, as well as the tooth, determines the cost of the treatment. Fortunately, most insurance policies cover the partial cost of endodontic treatment. An approximate estimate of the cost without putting into account dental restoration is:

Between $500 and $1,000 for incisors.
Between $800 and $1,500 for molars.

These prices are not inclusive of the endodontist’s fee, which can get to 50% and over.

Alternative Treatments to Root Canals

The best option, when faced with dental challenges, is to save your natural teeth. With your natural teeth, you can eat any food you need and keep to ideal nutrition. Root canal treatment helps you maintain your natural teeth.

In some cases, it may be impossible to save your natural tooth requiring complete extraction. This is the alternative to the procedure of the root canal. Your dentist may find the tooth is extremely damaged, with the best option being the extraction. Once the tooth is removed, an implant or bridge is used to replace it. Partial removable dentures can also be used that restore the function of chewing and prevent the teeth next from shifting their position.

Unfortunately, the alternatives are costly compared to the root canal procedure. They also require advanced treatment periods and more procedures done on the adjacent teeth. The supporting tissues or gum tissue also requires more treatment.

Taking Care of Your Teeth Following a Root Canal Treatment

After looking at the causes of pulpitis, which is the reason for a root canal, you can guess what you need to do to avoid such a condition from recurring. Practicing good oral hygiene that includes brushing your teeth after meals is essential. Ensure to floss your teeth to remove any food particles that cause plaque, which may also cause tooth decay, especially from sweet foods. If you must consume sugary foods or drinks, you must clean your mouth immediately with fluoride toothpaste.

Additionally, you must avoid situations that will cause an impact on your mouth, affecting your teeth. If you have a habit of grinding your teeth, asking your dentist for a mouth guard will limit or help you stop the practice. Regular dental checkups are also important because your dentist will also check if the filling may have given way or any other irregularities that may cause pulpitis.

Find an Emergency Root Canal Dentist Near Me

Discomfort or pain in your mouth can distract you from your day to day activities. When suffering from pulpitis, it becomes difficult to enjoy the simple things in life like eating or laughing. When experiencing discomfort, it is always best to visit a dentist who will determine the problem and perform a root canal treatment to save your tooth. At La Puente Emergency Dentist, we have experience in treating root canal issues and have saved many patients from losing their teeth using the procedure. Call us for an appointment at 626-995-1640, and allow us to take care of your problem.