You have probably heard someone say ” I’d rather have a root canal” as if it were one of the worst experiences on Earth. The truth is, root canals are painless. Unfortunately, the reasons someone usually needs a root canal can be a serious source of pain.
In the center of every tooth is a hollow “canal” space. In this are blood vessels and nerve tissue, what makes a tooth ” alive”. If the tooth experiences a sort of trauma, blunt force, hit with a baseball, decay in the nerve, bacterial invasion, chronic grinding or bruxism, or bone loss from gum disease, this can result in the nerve to die or necrose. Sometime this is painless, however, it is often associated with significant pain, and if untreated, followed by a serious infection.
The purpose of a root canal is to remove the dead tissue, sterilize the canal space, and seal the canal space with an antibacterial material to prevent any future infection. After a root canal is completed, the tooth needs to be properly restored, often with a crown. If this is all done correctly then the tooth has a 97% success rate. This is often a better option than an extraction.
Dr. Matthews will properly diagnose the need for a root canal, the options associated with it, and may perform the procedure in office or refer to an endodontist or root canal specialist