Deep Rooted Problem? – No Problem!

Root canal treatment in Burton and Ashby

Whilst much routine dental care deals with the repair and/or replacement of the enamel part of the teeth, sometimes the problem can be more deep seated and can result in the patient hearing their worst fear, the words ‘root canal’. For many years this procedure has been used as the benchmark by patients as the worst possible procedure that they could have to have. Interestingly though, these comments never seem to come from anyone who has had one.

Root canal treatment seems to have become one of those urban myths which do the rounds and are accepted into general belief. The reality though, as nearly always, is somewhat different.

What is a Root Canal

The root canal is simply the inner soft material of a tooth, the nerves and blood vessels which lie below the external enamel. Sometimes, this becomes infected and when this happens, a root canal treatment is often called for. This treatment involves a local anaesthetic being given to numb the area followed by the removal of the top of the tooth. Once this has been removed it allows the dentist access to the infected inner pulp. The majority of this is removed by suction followed by the thorough cleaning of the interior of the tooth. This is then filled with a special filler which includes antibiotic properties to kill off any remaining infection. The tooth then is sealed, usually by adding a crown to the top to restore its integrity.

The remaining tooth then is fully functional but will have no feeling. As the infected inner pulp has been removed there is now no risk of further infections although it is still important to clean the gums around it as they can still become infected and result in gum disease.

Abscesses

This procedure, doesn’t sound, and isn’t as painful as made out, so why is it the most dreaded procedure? General opinion is that this is due to historical treatment not being as effective as now. The most likely reason for this is the fact that when an abscess is present, this would cause extreme pain during the procedure. Of course, in the past, it was not always possible to know if the patient had an abscess until the procedure had begun and even with anaesthetic, this would be very painful indeed.

Modern dentistry however, insures that this never happens as full x-ray scans are taken beforehand to assess whether an abscess is present. In the advent of one being found, the procedure is postponed until a later date and antibiotics are given to cure the abscess thereby preparing the tooth ready for the following visit.

So, as you can see, a root canal treatment should not be a cause for concern and the next time that someone tries to scare you with tales of pain and trauma, you will simply be able to smile knowing that should you need one, you will not have the same experience that they are describing.

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