When people are faced with having a root canal carried out, they are often overly afraid for no reason. People sometimes misunderstand how the procedure is carried out, or they listen to horror stories that overly incite their fears. The truth is, root canals are fairly simple procedures that rarely cause much more pain than having a tooth filled. Root Canals in Southaven MS can help to save a tooth from ongoing damage and can help stop the severe pain certain tooth conditions can cause.
A root canal procedure is typically done under a local anesthetic. This anesthetic ensures no pain will be felt during the procedure and it also helps to control the pain immediately after the root canal is over. Once the patient is numb, the dentist will begin working on the tooth. This process typically takes around an hour or less, depending on how much work needs to be accomplished.
A root canal procedure is carried out by first creating a small opening in the top of the tooth. The opening is created in much the same manner as a dentist will conduct if they were drilling out decayed tissue. Once the opening is complete, the dentist will begin to remove the inside tissue which is called the pulp.
When the pulp of the tooth becomes infected or diseased in any way, it can lead to necrosis of the tooth. If this is not controlled, the tooth will rot, and this can spread to other teeth. Once the pulp is removed, the dentist will go to work on cleaning out the canals of the roots so any diseased or infected tissue can be removed.
The dentist will complete the process by filling the tooth with gutta-percha to replace the missing pulp. The tooth is then topped with a harder material to seal it so normal chewing action can continue without damage.
If you would like to learn more about root canals in Southaven MS, contact the office of Bruce A. Denney. They will be glad to schedule you a consultation appointment so you can learn if a root canal will help your tooth health issues.