Saving Your a Tooth With a Root Canal

Root canals have gotten a bad reputation over the years. People make jokes about root canals, and the words can strike fear into the hearts of the strongest dental patients. But the truth is that root canals represent a very important advancement in dental medicine. Because of root canals, teeth that in the past would have had to be extracted because of damage, decay or disease can be saved.

The pulp in your tooth is very important. It houses the nerves and blood vessels of your tooth. If that pulp becomes infected, that infection can spread to to your jaw and then to your body. The pulp becomes infected when your tooth is damaged and bacteria makes its way to the pulp. A root canal is used to remove the diseased pulp, while preserving the tooth itself.

After numbing your tooth, the dentist will use a small drill to access the pulp, and then remove it using another instrument. Once the diseases pulp has been removed, the dentist will clean the root chamber to remove any residual pulp and neutralize any bacteria remaining in the chamber. The dentist will may enlarge the chamber so that he can insert a material called gutta percha to take up the space left by the pulp. After placing a temporary seal on the tooth, the dentist will schedule a follow-up appointment to check on your tooth and to place a crown on it. The dentist may also prescribe a pain-reliever or an antibiotic. If you start to feel nauseous, develop a fever, the chills, or feel shaky, you need to contact the dentist right away.

If you have a tooth that has been giving you problems, Dr. Alex Osovsky will be happy to see you! Call Dental Esthetics of Buffalo Grove in Buffalo Grove, Illinois at 847-465-9676 to make an appointment.