By Arthur Kezian
If you were to ask someone what a root canal was their reply would
most likely consist of the words “painful” or “scary”. Why is this so? Many
people fear the procedure, when in reality, there isn’t much to be afraid of.
Surely, there have been cases where a patient has not liked the procedure, but
there have been twice as more cases where the patient has been satisfied.
People associate root
canal therapy to the pain they felt
before the procedure, and so, saying that a root canal is painful isn’t
necessarily correct. Before we can jump into why a root canal is actually very
beneficial, let’s break it down so you can have a better understanding of what
happens.
Opening the Root Canal:
If you are having throbbing or pulsating pain coming from your
tooth, it is probably because decay has reached the nerve of your tooth or
there is an abscess and infection around the tip of your root. If this happens,
you need to call a dental professional with emergency hours. They should be able
to get you right in and start the first step of the root canal. If the nerve of
your tooth is dead, you wouldn't really need anesthesia, but many dentists will
give you some localized anesthesia anyways to make sure you are totally at ease
and do not feel a thing. If the injection is the part you are afraid of, just
remember, the pain lasts for a few seconds and then it is gone. We tend to hype
things up in our minds and make situations seem worse than they really are. As
long as you know you are in good hands, all you need to focus on is your
breathing. Before you know it, the injection will be over.
Once you are fully numb, your dentist will create an access to the
root of your tooth by drilling a hole from the biting surface. The bacteria is
cleaned out, the decayed nerve tissues are taken out, and the pulp is removed.
Specific files are used to make sure the tooth is thoroughly cleaned out. The
first part to the procedure is done.
Closing the Root Canal:
The second part of the root canal therapy (RCT) involves closing the
tooth back up. Depending on your dentist and the circumstance of your tooth,
the tooth may be closed the same day it is opened and cleaned out or it may be
left open for drainage, will have medication placed inside, and will be closed
during a following appointment. If this is the case, the tooth is not actually
left open. A small, temporary filling is placed on the tooth to prevent food
and bacteria from entering. Once the tooth is ready to be sealed, a rubbery
material is placed inside the tooth. This material is called gutta percha, and
it basically replaces the nerve of your tooth. Once the tooth is filled, a more
sturdy filling will close the access hole the dentist had made to get into the
tooth. This is the final step to your root canal. Most dentists recommend you
get a crown placed on top of a tooth that has a root canal to provide strength
and support to the tooth.
Now, we can state that a root canal procedure is very beneficial.
It saves your tooth from being extracted and it saves you from a lot of pain.
There is no reason to fear a root canal
procedure. Apart from an extraction, a root canal is the only way to stop a
painful tooth from acting up.
If you have any questions regarding root canals or emergency
dentists, feel free to call Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS. The office staff will be
delighted to help you and answer all your questions. Dr. Kezian has been in the
practice for more than 30 years and has done numerous root canal procedures. If
a good, experienced dentist is what you need, call his office today.
Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 http://www.drkezian.com
-N.S.
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