The Importance of Excellent Dentistry During a Root Canal

Root canals are performed by dentists to save a tooth that has become infected or seriously decayed. Without this procedure, there is a significant risk of the surrounding tissue becoming infected, possibly resulting in an abscess.

What Is A Root Canal?
Teeth have natural cavities located in the center of them. These natural cavities are known as “root canals”. The inside of the root canal contains a soft area filled with pulp known as a pulp chamber as well as the tooth’s nerve. When the nerve or pulp becomes damaged, it begins to deteriorate, causing bacteria to grow inside the root canal. If left untreated, the bacteria can cause infection, which can result in the tooth becoming abscessed.

The Root Canal Procedure
To perform a root canal, the dentist will drill an access hole into the tooth to clean the nerve tissue decay and debris from the pulp chamber. If the tooth is infected, medication will be placed in the hole and it will be sealed. The dentist will then place a filling in the tooth’s root canal. Usually a crown is placed over the repaired tooth to provide protection and prevent further decay.

The Importance of Choosing a Good Dentist
Most root canal procedures are successful and teeth that are repaired with this technique can last for possibly a lifetime. However, due to the complications that can arise from root canals, it is of the utmost importance to have a highly skilled dentist perform the procedure. Without a well-experienced dentist to perform the root canal, the risk of complications becomes greater, which could result in new infections inside the tooth. When performing a root canal the dentist must thoroughly check the tooth for any possible cracks as well as make sure there are no additional root canals inside the tooth. If the root canal is done with defective or improper restorative materials, bacteria can possibly re-enter the tooth causing recontamination. In addition, faulty material can cause the seal to breakdown over time, resulting in another bacterial infection inside the tooth. If these complications occur, the root canal may have to be repeated or endodontic surgery will be required to save the tooth.