Dr. Clinton Runco & Associates
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Root Canal Therapy
Root Canal Therapy (Endodontic Treatment)
Root canal therapy alleviates pain and soreness by eliminating the nerve tissue (called pulp) located in the heart of the tooth, and its root or roots (called the root canal). Root canal therapy requires drilling through the biting exterior of the tooth to expose the pulp. The pulp is then removed with very fine metal files. Medications may be used to sterilize the core of the tooth to avoid the spread of infection.
Why Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is needed when a large filling becomes loose or parts of the tooth breaks. The root is dead or dying due to large decay into the root or abscess type infection, causing the root of the tooth to die. When this occurs, your tooth is not as sturdy as it originally was and will require some additional support such as a crown or a crown and post. In addition, the crown will seal the tooth keeping bacteria out of this area. As always, we will discuss the pros and cons with you to help you decide what is best for your health.
Injured Pulp
When the pulp is unhealthy or wounded and cannot repair itself, it dies and is the cause of tooth pain. This could cause a root canal Infection. The most frequent cause of pulp death is a cracked tooth or a deep cavity. Bacteria can attack your tooth through a weak filling, a cavity, or a crack. Your pulp becomes infected as bacteria reaches the pulp. Ultimately, the bacteria could destroy the pulp. This may lead to infection of the bone as the bacteria escapes through the root openings.
Crown
During the last stage of the root canal therapy, a crown made of ceramic or metal alloy will be placed and sealed onto the tooth. If an endodontist performs the root canal therapy, he or she will advise that you return to Dr. Clinton Runco & Associates.
Pain after a Root Canal
For root canals to be effective, your dentist must remove all of the decaying tissue. If the decaying tissue is not removed, you will eventually have an infection leading to a constant aching pain, and a hurting bite. Most root canal therapy patients have reported that the first couple of days subsequent of root canal therapy are that the tooth still feels tender. Time is the best way to eliminate all the pain, but there are also some other things that can be done to effectively minimize tooth sensitivity.
Reducing the After-Effect Pain
Using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory analgesics. Ibuprofen, Advil, and Motrin are some of the top alternatives to minimize the pain after root canal treatment.
Detecting the Symptoms of a Root Canal
Symptoms of a Root Canal
If you have pain symptoms that last for a while, you cannot sleep, or there is some degree of swelling around your tooth, you will need to have a root canal.
Root Canal Pain
There are several causes for root canal pain. Teeth can fail from tooth decay or deep dental fillings. Discomfort may vary from nothing to a constant throbbing pain. Regardless of the severity, the tooth will need to have a root canal immediately.
Untreated Root Canals
The pain is an indication of tooth decay and if it is not treated will result in rotten teeth. If left untreated, root canal pain caused by tooth decay can lead to a dead tooth. The pain in the root canal is a symptom of pulp infection of the tooth. There are two options for treatment; undergo root canal therapy or have the tooth extracted.
Molar Root Canal
After root canal therapy has been performed on a molar, a crown should be placed on the molar as soon as possible. If the crown is not placed immediately after the root canal therapy has been performed, the tooth will dry out making it very brittle. Biting hard food can crack it.
