Ask the Dentist – Why does my tooth need a root canal?
Root canals tend to get a bad reputation, but they can actually be a great service and often necessary to save your tooth. Contrary to popular belief, root canals are generally not painful at all (in fact, they usually make any tooth in pain feel much better.) In modern dentistry, they are sometimes even simpler than a filling!
A root canal is the removal of the soft inside part of the tooth, called the pulp. The pulp contains the nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels. The inside of the tooth is then cleaned out and filled with a material to protect it from any future infections.
A root canal may be necessary when the pulp becomes damaged, injured, inflamed, or infected. Common reasons that can happen include deep decay from a cavity; multiple dental procedures on the same tooth; a crack, fracture, or chip in the tooth; an injury to the tooth (sometimes the pulp can get damaged even if the tooth remains intact). The most common symptoms signifying the need for a root canal are pain and/or swelling.
After a root canal, your tooth is weakened and often requires a crown to protect it from any future damage. We know that root canals and crowns are usually not desirable procedures, but we have state-of-the-art technology at Artisan Dental to make these procedures as comfortable, efficient, and successful as possible!
