Dental procedures have advanced tremendously since the beginning of the twentieth century. Dentistry has gone from primitive teeth pulling to teeth saving.

When dentistry first started it wasn't really dentistry at all but rather a profession in teeth pulling. When a tooth became infected it would just be pulled! Nowadays, teeth can be saved using a variety of methods. One of these methods is a root canal. The procedure should not be feared but rather embraced. When a tooth becomes abscessed and infected a pus pocket builds within the pulp chamber of the tooth. If the pus pocket bursts, it will enter into the blood stream making the patient very ill. By performing a root canal, the dentist can then prevent the patient from becoming ill and likewise save the tooth.

The procedure is needed when the root of the tooth becomes infected with bacteria. The bacteria will infect the center of the tooth, causing infection to spread all the way to the pulp chamber and the nerve. The nerve will die off and make the tooth become very sensitive. What most people don't know is that the tooth root becomes inessential once the teeth have become fully developed. At that point, the nerves main purpose is to send either hot or cold sensations to the brain. An infected root will try to repair itself. However, if it can't, the tooth root will die off and the infection will likely spread into the blood stream, hence the need for a root canal.

Root canal therapy is a highly effective and simple procedure. One of the first steps to the procedure is to numb the patient. This may seem unnecessary since the nerve is dead, but the dentist does this as a safety precaution. The patient must be completely relaxed for the procedure. The delicacy of the procedure requires that a patient remain perfectly still throughout the procedure.

A root canal will be performed on a tooth that has excessive decay. All of the decay and the dead nerve will be removed. The dentist drills an access hole into the pulp chamber and removes the infected tissue. The procedure must be performed with extreme caution when removing the infection because of the sensitivity of the area. There may be more than one appointment required in order to completely remove the infected tissue. After all the infected tissue has been removed, an antibacterial medicine will be injected into the tooth to prevent any further bacteria buildup. This medicine will be removed after several days.

When all the bacteria are clear, the dentist will fill the root and the pulp chamber with a rubber-like substance. A permanent seal of antibacterial cement will be placed over the access hole that the dentist created; this will prevent any bacteria from coming in and infecting the tooth again. A porcelain crown will then be permanently installed on top to seal the tooth completely, restoring full usage of the tooth.

Patients may cringe at the thought of having a root canal, since root canals have a reputation for being painful. The truth is, modern root canals are not nearly as painful as they once were. The new innovative technologies and advancements in anesthetics ensure patients have minimal pain. The recovery time for the procedure is only a few days - any pain and minor aches can be relieved through some aspirin or acetaminophen.

If you have further questions about root canals, you should contact your local dentist and request an initial appointment.