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A Guide To Endodontic Therapy

Aug 01, 2021
A Guide To Endodontic Therapy
While it’s everyone’s wish to have healthy teeth, it’s not always the case. Somewhere along the way, you may relapse on your dental hygiene leading to several dental complications.

While it’s everyone’s wish to have healthy teeth, it’s not always the case. Somewhere along the way, you may relapse on your dental hygiene leading to several dental complications. There is still hope of leading a healthy lifestyle because professional dentists can conduct a series of dental procedures on your oral cavity, giving it a new shape.

Endodontic Therapy involves various procedures such as removing pulpal tissue, shaping and filing root canals, and permanently replacing teeth. If you have severely damaged teeth (deep carious lesions and pulpal pain), pulpal tissue is first removed then filling, and shaping is conducted in a process called sedative dentistry.

Numerous dental practices offer Root canal treatment in Ridgewood, NY, such as Mamkin dentistry. Before you visit the dentist, read on to get a deeper insight into endodontic Therapy.

What is Endodontic Therapy?

Endodontic Therapy, also called root canal therapy, involves treating the pulp cavity in a tooth cavity previously occupied by the nerves. The process involves removing the damaged pulp tissue, treating the hole, and filling it with synthetic material.

When to perform endodontic Therapy

Once your tooth is infected by bacteria and destroys the root canal, this Therapy is performed. It may be arise from several factors such as leaky fillings, tooth decay, or severe tooth damage caused by trauma such as an accident.

Before performing the root canal treatment, the dentist conducts a thorough medical exam, including x-rays. Once the x-rays reveal a damaged pulp resulting from bacterial infection, the dentist proceeds with the treatment.

Symptoms of pulp infection

  • Loose tooth
  • Teeth sensitivity
  • Pain when drinking and eating cold or hot food and drinks
  • Pain when biting

Once the tooth is infected, the pulp begins to die as bacteria multiply rapidly and spread to other teeth. If not untreated in time, it could cause loss of teeth. You experience additional symptoms such as facial swelling, darkening of the affected tooth, swelling of the gum, and pus oozing from the infected tooth.

It is advisable to visit the dentist if you experience a toothache to determine the cause. You should also avoid taking antibiotics because they are effective against bacterial infections and not root canal infections. If the disease is identified early, it poses a minimal threat and is cheaper to treat.

Endodontic therapy procedure

Root canal treatment entails obliterating the infection from the root canal. In case of any abscesses, they are also drained. The root canal is then dressed and shaped, awaiting filling. The dentist may put a temporary filling inside the pulp as the tooth heals.

During a later date, the dentist checks whether the infection is gone and, if so, replaces the temporary fillings with permanent composite materials. The root canal treatment is complex and time-consuming. The whole Therapy is completed in at least two dental visits.

Local anesthesia may be administered during the procedure. The treatment is, therefore, pleasant and pain-free, unlike other dental procedures such as fillings. More than 95% of root canal therapy is fruitful, and thus you should be very confident when receiving the treatment. Lastly, the treated tooth can last for over 10 years with just average dental care.

Alternative

Should you not be ready for endodontic Therapy for many reasons, you can only have your tooth removed. Even though an extracted tooth can be replaced via several techniques such as bridges, it’s always advisable to maintain as many natural teeth as possible.

After root canal treatment care

Once you’ve had a root canal treatment successfully, the goal is always to take care of the tooth as it recovers fully. Healing successfully and quickly guarantees a longer lifespan for the treated tooth. Some tips include;

  • Swallow painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol to minimize pain and discomfort
  • Avoid biting hard food or objects till you recover fully
  • If you experience recurrent pain and swelling despite taking painkillers, visit the dentist once again.

Some safety tips to prevent extra root canal treatments include;

  • Maintaining good oral hygiene
  • Avoiding foods with excess sugars
  • Avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking

Conclusion

If you are wondering about Endodontic Therapy near you, Mamkin Dentistry offers Endodontic Therapy in Ridgewood, NY. Book an appointment today if you are experiencing toothache and start your journey to the ultimate dental health.