Why and what is a root canal?

Question

I have had some root canal work done and waiting to get a cap for the tooth and I still feel some sinsation on the tooth when I touch or wiggle the tooth,is this something that should be checked out more closely?Why is a root canal required at all?It has been a month since the root canal has been done.This is a upper moler.

Answer 1

The sensation you are feeling is normal. The nerve inside of the tooth was removed and filled, the surrounding tissue and ligaments that hold the tooth in the socket are still very much alive. That is shown by the sensation you have to stimuli of touching the tooth. Just because the tooth is dead, doesn't mean that you can't feel anything. Now as to why a root canal is needed. The tooth's nerve sustained some damage either from trauma, or decay that allowed bacteria to get too close to the pulp of the tooth. Thus causing it to die and the tissue at the root tip of the tooth to develope an abscess, or pocket, for the pus to collect in. This pocket caused the tooth to feel taller in your mouth and every time you put your teeth together you were pressing on this tooth harder,(what we refer to as hitting it) increasing the trauma to the tooths nerve. The pulp trauma that created the pocket filling, plus hitting on it, all caused the swelling and pain that you more than likely felt. Usually after a root canal is preformed the Dentist wants to wait about a month before doing a crown prep on the tooth. This is to allow the tooth to settle down and the infection in the tissue (from the pocket) to be cleaned up either by your body or the antibiotics he prescribed. The tooth needs a crown to keep it stable over the remaining years. Ususally after a root canal is preformed the tooth has lost it's blood supply, and is no longer vital. It becomes dried out and brittle, making it succeptable to breaking or fracturing, which would leave no option except extraction. Looks like your Dentist is taking very good care of you and your tooth. Hope I've been of some help to you in answering your question. Good luck!

Answer 2

the purpose of root canal treatment is to create an end result where the tissues that surround a tooth's root will maintain a healthy status despite the fact that the tooth's nerve has undergone degenerative changes. Specifically, we mean that the tissues surrounding a tooth's root are not affected by bacterial infection and/or irritating substances leaking from those inner aspects of the tooth originally occupied by the tooth's nerve tissue.

i dont know what might be causing the sensation.

Answer 3

a root canal is done when the tooth is dead, the have to drill a hole in the back of it, then remove the "root", give it a few weeks to check, then they permanantly fill the hole, and some require "crowns" depending on your tooth size and situation. Im not sure about your "sensation" ask the specialist next time you go in.

Answer 4

I had a root canal, on March 19th,2015 today is March 29th, it still aches, and the dentist
wants to see me on April 1rst. 14 days later, how long does a root-canal, take to heal up
well?