How to Undergo Painless Root Canal Therapy

Does the thought of root canal therapy in Calgary freak you out? Many people get overly worried about certain dental procedures because of their nature regarding invasiveness. The invasiveness of root canal procedures cannot be avoided, but the pain levels that make you nervous can. Over the years, many root canal treatments have been performed successfully without patients experiencing any pain. That too can be your story.

What is a Root Canal?

It is a dental procedure performed to repair the insides of a tooth and restore its health. Ideally, when you have an infected or broken tooth, it is not just the exterior of your tooth that is affected. In many cases, the damage on your tooth will have symptoms like toothaches, swelling, and even bad breath, as indicators that the internal parts of your tooth are also damaged. Therefore, to restore its health, a dentist would have to find a way into the inner layers of your tooth to remove the infected and damaged parts.

The Procedure for Painless Root Canal Treatment

Without the necessary treatment protocols, root canal treatment near you will be painful. The reason is that the procedure is invasive as it concentrates on treating the internal layers of teeth. To experience a painless procedure, the medication used and the tools utilized during your treatment will play a significant role in the outcome and experience thereof. As such, for a painless procedure, a dentist near you will perform your root canal in the following steps:

• Sedation and local anesthetic – sedatives can be used in dentistry to help overcome dental anxiety and promote calmness and stillness for patients. Usually local anesthetic alone is needed to numb your mouth and instantly eliminate any level of pain that is there; and also ensure no pain will occur during the dental treatment
• Drilling – the dentist uses a special tool to remove the decay and enter the pulp chamber in the infected tooth. The small opening is the access point to enter into the infected root of the tooth.
• Cleaning – the damaged parts of your tooth need to be removed for treatment to be effective. The dentist will rid your tooth of any bacteria and also remove the damaged tissues therein. They include blood vessels, nerve endings, and other soft tissues.
• Shaping and filling – the root pulp needs to be reshaped to replace the removed contents. The filling used is a plastic-like material called gutta-percha to help seal the root.
• Crowning – after the root filling, the dentist restores the exterior of the tooth, usually using a conventional tooth filling or a dental crown. It depends on the size of the hole that needs to be covered, relative to how much of your tooth structure was initially damaged. In case the tooth filling placed is too large, your dentist in Northeast Calgary will recommend getting a tooth crown over the tooth filling.

Is the Procedure Expensive?

If you compare a root canal procedure with a typical tooth filling, it will be more expensive. However, the reason is that root canal therapies take time to complete, usually up to 2 dental visits. Besides, the endodontic procedure of treating the insides of your teeth is intricate, demanding the use of special dental tools and techniques. This may reflect the cost of your entire treatment.

Is a Root Canal Better Than a Tooth Extraction?

If the only reason you are hesitant about a root canal is pain, rest assured that your dentist will give you a painless experience throughout your treatment. When it comes to comparing a tooth extraction and a root canal, it depends on the severity of the damage to your tooth. During your dental exam, your dentist has to assess the level of damage to your tooth before recommending a treatment. When your tooth is salvageable, there is no need to extract it. As such, a root canal becomes your way to save your natural tooth and extend its life. You would, therefore, only need a tooth extraction where the state of your tooth is too compromised to be saved.