Root canals provide a necessary and helpful way to preserve teeth that many people hold misconceptions about. To put some fears to rest: root canals aren’t painful; they don’t make you ill; they don’t always require removing the whole root; and a lack of pain isn’t a good reason to avoid one.
You’ll find that this procedure helps a lot more than it hurts, but once it’s finished, you do need to protect the tooth until the next step is taken to ensure its long-term health. Let’s examine the process of getting a root canal, how to keep the remaining tooth healthy, and our next steps to protect your oral health.
Dr. Adam Nusblatt and his experienced Nusblatt Dental team help East Village, Manhattan, New York, residents keep their natural teeth for as long as possible with many methods, including root canals.
A root canal works to remove inflamed and infected tissue from teeth to avoid further damage and reduce the risk of problems with other teeth.
Our bodies produce enamel, the toughest substance they make, to protect teeth. As tough as enamel is, it can be worn or eroded, due to bad oral hygiene that causes cavities or injuries that crack teeth and expose the layers beneath.
As a result, harmful bacteria can access the inner layers, causing inflammation and infection. This leads to symptoms like pus forming near the tooth on your gums, darkened tooth color, a loose tooth, and pain that can spread to the gums and other teeth. When this happens, it’s time to consider a root canal.
When the root’s canals have been cleaned and sanitized, we use a substance called gutta-percha, a type of plastic derived from a Malaysian tree, which preserves the tooth’s size and shape. Once that’s placed, we seal the tooth. Dental crowns can also be applied to protect teeth that have had root canals, keeping other materials from getting back in.
Between the completion of the root canal and the follow-up treatments, here are some steps to keep the treated tooth healthy:
While waiting for follow-ups, if you encounter issues with visible swelling in your mouth, allergic reactions, an uneven bite, losing a temporary filling, or severe pressure or pain lasting over a few days, contact us as soon as possible.
How we treat your tooth will depend on the reason for the root canal and the extent of the damage. To get your root canal and find out which method of protecting the tooth afterward works best for you, make an appointment with Dr. Nusblatt and the Nusblatt Dental team today.
