The last thing that you want to hear your Catonsville dentist say is “you need a root canal.” That is, if you’re like most people. A lot of people have a deeply ingrained fear of root canals because of stories they’ve heard from other people or just because the two words together sound awful in reference to your teeth. We promise that root canals aren’t as bad as they sound. The key is knowing what a root canal is, why you need one, and how we perform it. It’s like people that have test anxiety – if they don’t know exactly what’s coming, they’re more likely to stress out over the details. We want to make your root canal as comfortable as possible and to do that, you need to know the process.
How are Root Canals Performed?
Root canals may not be as complicated as you’d think. Root canals are performed when you have a significant amount of decay or an infection (where else?) in the root of your tooth. Decay that goes down that far can be significantly more painful that surface decay that can be repaired with a normal filling. That’s why we do root canals. Check out the steps of a root canal.
- X-Rays – The first thing that your Catonsville dentist will do is take an x-ray of your tooth to find out how bad the damage is and what exactly needs to be done. After the x-ray and before the treatment begins, you’ll receive a local anesthetic to numb your mouth. You may also opt for sedation dentistry at this point to make the experience more comfortable.
- The procedure – Your dentist will place a dental dam around the tooth receiving the root canal to avoid getting saliva in the tooth. There may also be a dental assistant using “the straw” to keep excess saliva out. The dentist will remove the decay from the pulp-y part of your tooth at this point. This is the part that people find painful if your mouth hasn’t been properly anesthetized. Your dentist will then clean out the area and make sure that there’s enough space for a good filling. He or she will fill the tooth and you’ll then receive a crown to make sure that the filling doesn’t go anywhere.
- Healing – Once all of that is taken care of, you’ll be sent home to heal. There shouldn’t be much residual pain, but if your mouth is particularly sensitive, you may be prescribed medication. Over-the-counter pain medication does the trick for most. You may schedule a follow-up visit, but if everything is normal after a few days, you should be all set!
Single-Visit Endodontic Treatments from Leikin & Baylin
Getting the whole procedure over with in one visit will make everything even easier for you. If you know that you need a root canal or are having severe tooth pain, please make an appointment to see your Catonsville dentist. You can contact Leikin & Baylin Dental Care of Catonsville, Maryland by calling 410-747-1115 or visiting CatonsvilleDentalCare.com.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Disclaimer: The writer of this article is not a medical professional. Information contained herein has been collected from sources believed to be reliable, and every precaution has been taken to ensure its accuracy. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care.