Faced with a choice of enduring a bad tooth ache or doing a root canal you would generally ride out with a bad tooth.
What is Root Canal Treatment :
Also known as endodontic therapy, root canal treatment is an essential part of many dentistry procedures and is vital in treating common problems such as tooth decay, infection, and gum disease. When the pulp of the tooth has been invaded by bacteria, the subsequent infection can lead to the eventual loss of the tooth. In order prevent the need for a tooth extraction, a root canal is often the last resort and the procedure saves around 20 million teeth each year.
Myth :
The most common misconception surrounding root canal treatment is the procedure is painful. Most patients visit their dentist when they have severe pain due to damaged tissue in the tooth, root canal treatment is removal of the damaged tissue thereby relieving pain.
Common signs that indicate that you need a root canal treatment are
Lingering pain after eating hot food
Sharp shooting pain on biting on food
Pain increase at night and on lying down position
Swelling on the gums and sensitive to touch
What is root canal treatment and when is it done???
The tooth is divided into 2 parts the crown and the root.
The crown is the visible part of the tooth seen above the gum line and the rest of the tooth is called the root which is below the gum line.
The crown is covered by a hard substance called enamel which protects the tooth from physical and chemical attack.
The major portion of the tooth is yellowish bone like substance called the dentin which supports the enamel, exposure of this layer causes sensitivity which is the first sign that your tooth is in trouble. Coursing through the central part is a hollow space which encloses the pulp tissue which contains few blood vessels and nerve fibres .The pulp provides nourishment to the tooth. When the pulp tissue gets diseased due to decay or injuries a root canal treatment is initiated to relieve pain by the removal of infected pulp and all the bacteria and its toxins.
