A root canal is a dental procedure that extracts decayed tooth pulp. It is the first choice for saving an infected tooth. It also prevents the need for tooth extraction.

Root Canal Treatment

A root canal is a procedure that is performed when a tooth is badly decayed or infected and can’t be saved with a filling or other type of restorative treatment. During a root canal, the tissue inside of the tooth is removed, and the insides of the tooth are cleaned and disinfected. The inside of the tooth is then filled with a material called gutta-percha, which helps strengthen the tooth and protect the nerve inside the tooth from further damage.

Symptoms of Root Canal Infection

If a patient is experiencing severe tooth pain, they should consult their dentist as soon as possible to find out if they require a root canal. There are a number of symptoms that can indicate the need for a root canal, including sensitivity, swelling, and discoloration of the tooth. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist right away.

What Necessitates A Root Canal?

There are a number of ways teeth can become damaged, often leading to a root canal procedure. Here are they:

• Infection is one of the most difficult problems to prevent and treat, which is why it is one of the primary reasons people turn to a root canal dentist.
•  A cracked or chipped tooth or filling can lead to bacteria traveling into the tooth from food or beverages. This can cause a painful infection that will require treatment before the tooth can be saved.
• Trauma to the face is another common reason that patients need a root canal. Teeth can be broken after a fall or even in an accident while playing sports. Even biting down on something hard can damage a tooth to the point it needs to be treated. In these cases, the pulp inside the tooth may become inflamed and infected and must be cleaned out to save the rest of the tooth. 
• Untreated cavities can also lead to the need for a root canal. If tooth decay goes untreated, the bacteria could spread further into the tooth, causing an infection.

Regular visits to the dentist can help prevent the need for root canal therapy by catching tooth decay before it progresses too far. However, if your tooth becomes damaged or infected and the infection continues without being treated, you may need the help of a dentist to perform your root canal.

Is A Root Canal Treatment Painful?

The root canal is a procedure used to save an infected tooth by removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and any bacteria or decay in the tooth. The dentist will thoroughly clean the tooth and then fill the space with gutta-percha, a type of rubber-like material to seal off the tooth from further infection.

The procedure can be performed under local anesthesia, so the patient is awake during the procedure but will not feel anything. The patient may experience some mild discomfort after the procedure is completed; this usually goes away within a few days.

A full recovery can be expected following this procedure. Once the tooth is healed, it should be pain-free. However, some patients do experience increased sensitivity after the root canal treatment. This is usually temporary, though.

At Kusek Family & Implant Dentistry, we offer a full range of services in a relaxed dental environment. To learn more about our dental services or to schedule your consultation with one of our dentists, call us at 605-371-3443 or visit us at 4921 E. 26th St., Suite 1, Sioux Falls, SD 57110.