Root Canal Therapy in Gig Harbor, WA
Are you experiencing severe pain in your tooth? If so, there’s a chance that you may need root canal therapy. A root canal is required whenever a tooth needs to be saved. Root canal therapy, or endodontic treatment, is extremely common, and millions of procedures are performed every year to save dying teeth.
One common misconception about root canal treatments is that they cause pain. This simply isn’t true. In fact, root canals relieve pain by eliminating the infected the dental pulp.
Each of your teeth contains the outer layers of enamel and dentin. Underneath each of these layers is a soft tissue called dental pulp. The dental pulp is rich in nerves and blood vessels and helps to ensure that the tooth is developing properly. However, once the tooth is fully developed, it can survive without the dental pulp since it can receive nutrients from surrounding tissues. A healthy dental pulp is vital for keeping your tooth functioning properly; however, if it’s infected, such as from decay or an injury, it can compromise the well-being of your tooth. In fact, in severe cases, the dental pulp can even die, which can cause your entire tooth to die as well.
To prevent this and keep your tooth from being extracted, a root canal or endodontic treatmentmay have to be performed. This procedure involves removing the decayed or inflamed dental pulp from the pulp chamber inside the tooth. Many reasons, including severe decay, injury, or repeated procedures on the tooth, can cause the infected pulp. The inner pulp chamber is thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and refilled with a dental material called gutta-percha. A dental restoration, such as a crown or filling, is placed on the tooth to protect it.
A root canal can be safely performed in one to two appointments. During your procedure, you will be given anesthesia, so rest assured that your procedure will be pleasant. The dental team at Uptown Dental Gig Harbor has performed thousands of root canals, so you can feel confident that you’re in good hands.
