What is a Root Canal?

Here at EZ Dental, we are dedicated to ensuring that your experience during a root canal treatment in our San Jose dental office is as simple and painless as possible. Going into the procedure without any knowledge about root canals and endodontics can lead to unnecessary fear or anxiety; here is some valuable information that will help you fully understand your recommended treatment for restorative dental treatment in San Jose.

Why Do I Need a Root Canal?

When decay in the tooth penetrates both the protective layer of enamel and inner layer of dentin and makes its way to the pulp and nerve of the tooth, the individual will experience a great amount of pain. This pain is usually accompanied by infection. One of the most common and tell-tale symptoms associated with a tooth that is in need of a root canal is a sharp pain that is extremely sensitive to hot and cold. This is because the nerve of the tooth has become exposed and is unable to effectively process sensations as it normally does without the protection of the dentin and enamel.

When the damage has reached this point, the only way to restore the tooth is to conduct a root canal procedure, which essentially means removing the nerve from the tooth completely and placing a filling inside the tooth to promote its longevity.

Root Canal Treatment Explained

While simply hearing “root canal” is enough to frighten some people, the actual root canal procedure is relatively easy and painless. They have the potential to be time-consuming, and for most people, this is the only complaint that they truly have about their procedure.

To begin, your dentist will take a pre-operative x-ray to document the tooth’s condition prior to treatment. This x-ray will also be used to confirm that the tooth can, in fact, be restored rather than being removed from the mouth.

The dentist will then enter the tooth structure and remove the nerve from the canal inside the root. The canal is then meticulously cleaned out and irrigated. A synthetic material known as gutta percha is placed inside the canal in place of the nerve, and the tooth is then temporarily sealed and filled with a material known as cavit. The patient will then return in a few weeks to have a permanent filling placed, and in most cases, the tooth will then be prepared for a crown in order to preserve the work that the dentist has completed.

For more information about what you can expect during your root canal treatment or to get scheduled for an appointment in our San Jose dental office, give us a call at (408) 227-6000.