What is Root Canal Therapy?

Root Canal Therapy is a procedure to save the tooth and avoid extraction. It’s usually done when the nerve inside your tooth dies because of decay or injury. Nerves are important for your teeth because they help with chewing, biting, and other functions in your mouth. Root canal therapy removes infected material from inside the root canal system of a tooth to prevent infection from spreading into your jawbone and causing an abscess.

The process starts by numbing you either with local anesthesia or injection. Your dentist will then use tools like files, drills, elevators (to remove soft tissue), probes (to check for depth), and fillers (to make sure filling is even) to reach down into the canals that go through the roots to the tip of your tooth. Once they find and clean out any infection, your dentist will fill the canals with a sealant material like gutta-percha or an antibiotic paste to make sure bacteria doesn’t come back in.

When is Root Canal Therapy Necessary?

Root canal therapy is usually done when you have pain or swelling near one of your teeth, sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, or if you notice pus coming from inside the tooth’s opening when brushing. Sometimes, this treatment is also necessary for certain teeth that are too difficult to restore through other methods such as dental crowns.

While root canal therapy may seem scary at first glance because it involves surgery on a healthy part of your body – it’s actually safer than removing all infected parts.

Not only can you save a tooth, but you can also prevent infection and possible severe complications this way. If you have a tooth that needs saving, contact AVA Dentistry today to see if root canal therapy is an option for you.