What Is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is often necessary to treat an infected tooth or a tooth that has deep decay. This restores the morphology and overall oral health of the tooth and can prevent tooth loss. Learning more about root canal therapy and the role that the procedure plays in general dentistry is helpful to determine if you should schedule a consultation with a dentist for treatment. 

Reviewing the importance and process of root canal therapy

This review of root canal therapy includes a detailed assessment of what root canal therapy is, how the treatment process works, when to consider treatment and how the aftercare process works. This should help patients decide if they should seek treatment from a general dentist. 

Root canal therapy explained

Root canal therapy is a relatively common dental procedure that is often necessary to treat decayed or infected teeth, particularly when the decay or infection reaches the pulp chamber in the root of the tooth. Root canal therapy often preserves the long-term health of a tooth and prevents the tooth from becoming lost. Also, the symptoms of deep tooth decay or tooth infection are discomforting and can alter the way that one lives their daily life, and root canal therapy can remove the symptoms by treating the underlying cause. 

How the root canal therapy process works

Each dentist may have their own step-by-step process for performing root canal therapy. That said, there are common steps that the patient can expect. These include the following:

• Apply a numbing agent
• Access the root of the tooth
• Remove the infected pulp or decay
• Clean and disinfect the tooth
• Fill the tooth with gutta-percha
• Place a dental crown over the tooth

The procedure only takes a single visit, although the dental crown may be applied on a follow-up visit. Root canal therapy is not a painful procedure, but the patient needs to follow the aftercare plan closely to minimize discomfort and prevent infection.

When root canal therapy is necessary

Root canal therapy is necessary for patients who have deep decay that cannot be treated through a dental filling. Patients who have a tooth infection in the root of the tooth (pulp chamber) also require root canal therapy to treat the infection and prevent it from spreading or causing the tooth to become lost. The best way to determine if you need root canal therapy is to schedule a visit with a general dentist. 

What to expect after root canal therapy

After the root canal therapy procedure, patients typically need to eat a soft diet for the first few days and take precautionary measures through good oral hygiene to reduce the risk of oral infection and minimize the discomfort. 

Find out more from our dental team today

You can learn more about root canal therapy from our dental team by reaching us by phone or by message. We strive to make the root canal therapy process as easy and convenient for our patients as possible, and we take pride in assisting the patient through every step of the process.

Request an appointment here: https://www.sheats-endo.com or call Sheats Endodontic Group at (615) 526-2495 for an appointment in our Nashville office.