Series of dental questions..?

Question

What exactly is a root canal? (When would you have to get one? & What do dentist do when giving you a root canal?)

What to expect from your first visit to the dentist in awhile?

Answer 1

A root canal is when the root of the tooth has died. The tooth is usually ground down to gum level and a post is put in it, then a crown is put on top of it. This occurs when there has been death of the root. They really aren't that bad-I've had two.

The first visit in awhile-they will check you out pretty well-look at all of your teeth, check your mouth, cheeks, and lips for signs of oral cancer, do Xrays, give you a good cleaning and check for any dental work that needs to be done.

Answer 2

I'll answer the first part of your question and let you read the others about what to expect at your first visit. They all have good descriptions.

A root canal treatment is "basically" the act of taking out the contents from the center of the root, all the way to the tippy end, and then sealing the hollow space with a filling material. Many people say that they "had the root removed" from a tooth, but root canal treatment treats the CANAL in the center of the tooth.

Usually, it is required when the tissue inside the center of the tooth (ie: in the root canal) is diseased or dead. This is usually the result of an infection caused by tooth decay that has gone "all the way to the nerve." The idea here is to eliminate the infection by removing the tissue. The next goal is to smooth out the inside of the canal(s) so that a filling material can pass freely to the end of the tooth to seal it off. Once it is sealed off, it is no longer a source of infection to your body. Your natural immune system will continue to fight off any infection that may have entered the bone and eventually your body will heal. Some people need antibiotics to help in this fight, but they are not always necessary.

In back teeth, it is generally recommended to have a crown placed over the tooth to protect it from breaking, as teeth that have had root canal treatment tend to dry out somewhat and become more brittle and susceptible to breaking. Front teeth are often strong enough to go without a crown, but sometimes they need a crown, too.

The specialist who does root canal treatment is called an "endodontist," which is Greek for "inside the tooth." ("Periodontist" means "around the tooth," as in gums and bone.)

Answer 3

I asked my dentist this once (after one of my root canals went bad and I had to get a second root canal on the tooth). He said that they kill the nerve and pull it out, then they fill the hole that is left with a cement-like mixture. Then the dentist drills the edges of your tooth done some, and puts what is called a post and core in the middle of the tooth. The crown is then glued onto the post and core. (If you don't have a crown, the dentist will just fill the tooth after filling the nerve "holes" with the cement stuff. A tooth usually has two nerves (if it is a molar), but sometimes it can have three (i found out when the dentist killed 2 nerves but failed to find the 3rd one on the 1st try). The dentist usually puts a temporary crown on for a week or so while the crown is shipped to his/her office. That way, if there are any problems, they can be dealt with without prying the glued crown off.

You usually have to get root canals when the roots are bad, the teeth are rotted too much to fill, or something else catastrophic. (A sign that you have to get a root canal is when your tooth is sensitive to warmth as well as cold. -- It is natural for teeth to be sensitive to cold every so often.)

They will probably lecture you, tell you to floss every day, clean your teeth, and take many x-rays. Good luck!

Answer 4

When there is no hope of saving the root - the tooth is too damaged by decay, trauma, etc. - a dentist or endodontist will do a root canal to save the parts of the tooth that are not alive (not subject to blood flow) . In this manner, the portion of the tooth anchoring it to the gum may be saved, and a crown/cap attached, which will be strong and not need the root to survive.

Anyway, you really should visit some dental sites and read about it before you have it done, just to be an informed consumer and patient.

Try here:
http://tinyurl.com/h8n7e

Answer 5

A root canal is when a periodontist (usually a specialist not a dentist) removes the root of the tooth but leaves the tooth in. If you have a toothache or a cracked tooth, you may need to have this done. On your first visit to the dentist, they will clean your teeth, take x-rays, and floss. They may give you a fluoride treatment plus advice on brushing and/or what you may/may not be doing wrong. There isn't usually any dental work actually done on your first visit. Then they will let you konw what needs to be done if anything. Good luck.

Answer 6

first visit: expect a visual check of your teeth and gums, possible xrays and possible cleaning.

root canal is needed when you have an abscess below the tooth. it is quite painful when you have the abscess. they put you on antibiotics to clear it up.

when they begin the root canal they give you anesthesia of some sort. i have used nitrous and the doc gave me a shot to numb the area. they drill a tiny hole in the center of the tooth and go down to the root chamber. they use a small file on the end of the drill to remove the roots of the teeth. they pack the area and put on a temporary filling. they go in and remove the temp filling and reclean the chambers until all infection is gone. then they seal the tooth up for good either by filling or more than likely with a crown.

if you suffer from an abscess, trust me on this...the second they drill into the root chamber you feel immense relief instantly and no more pain ever. it's truly amazing and wonderful.

i'd rather have root canal than some fillings...honest. it's a breeze.

Answer 7

In a root canal they drill out the middle of the tooth down thru the root and fill it. If you want to keep your teeth then go. Don't be a sissy.

Answer 8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_canal

I had a root canal done once, its not as horrible as it sounds if you have a good dentist.

Answer 9

Click on this link, you'll see a good answer for your question here, with pictures of the procedure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_canal

What to expect, that depends on the way you take care of dental health. Good luck

Answer 10

That does sound somewhat intense! yet i'm particular dentists understand how lots their charging. once you're extremely in contact, ask them in the event that they made a mistake. in the event that they say it extremely is no longer a mistake, then there is needless to say no longer something you're able to do yet pay them... =(. i might advise loaning funds from the financial corporation, or borrowing some funds. I pretty advise you initiate determining to purchase scientific wellness coverage. this might save your existence interior the destiny! =) *desire this helps*