Whats a root canal?

Question

Sounds like it hurts.

Answer 1

A very extensive treatment for a cavity.

When you get a cavity the tooth will not grow back. The dentist has to clean it, remove all the decay and then place a substitute like a crown of a filling to take the place of the lost tooth material.

When a cavity is not treated soon enough or if an infection occurs inside a tooth then more extensive work has to be done.

The dentist has to drill out all the nerve fiber and the pulp inside of the tooth. But, to really correct the problem the dentist has to clean out the inside of the tooth right down to the jaw, going through the root. This is why it is called a root canal.

Yes, a root canal is painful, but the doctor will numb the area. The pain of one is similar to that experienced after being treated for a cavity. You will have more pain than that, and it could last for a week or so, but it is not as painful as what can happen if the root canal is not done.

If the root canal is not done then the tooth will die and have to be removed. That isn't so bad, but if the tooth is infected and that infection reaches the jaw then we are talking about oral surgery. The oral surgeon will have to cut into the jaw and clean it out and that will be more painful and take a lot longer to heal than any root canal can ever be.

In a root canal the dentist cuts out the pulp inside of the tooth and fills it in just like they do with a cavity. They even use the same filling material and with care that tooth can last a lifetime. However, if you put it off well lets just say that you are opening yourself up for even more pain and a much larger bill.

Answer 2

It can hurt, but with the local anesthesia, I've never found them to be all that bad.

Inside each tooth is the pulp which provides nutrients and nerves to the tooth, it runs like a thread down through the root. When the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp tissue dies. If you don't remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. After the dentist removes the pulp, the root canal is cleaned and sealed off to protect it. Then your dentist places a crown over the tooth to help make it stronger.

If you need a root canal, please don't put it off. If it's put off too long, your dentist might not be able to save the tooth. Also, once the root canal is done, it's important to have a crown placed on the tooth as soon as possible because it becomes brittle and will break very easily.

Good luck.

Answer 3

It hurts like the dickens and is outrageously expensive. They drill a hole in the tooth as far down as it takes to drill out every bit of the root. Then they build you a cap to cover the nub left by the drilling.
-MM