How Long Does a Root Canal Take?

Toothaches are usually infuriating, at times, persistent. Sleepless nights are almost inevitable, especially if you have stabbing or throbbing pain. In most cases, the leading cause of toothaches is tooth decay that has reached the roots. The tooth might be the sturdiest substance in your body, but they are not indestructible. Just ignore them long enough, and they become structurally compromised, exposing the inner parts of the tooth.

But there’s no need to let cavities cause sleepless nights when our dentist in Sunset Hills offers root canal treatment near you that can salvage your decayed tooth.

For some people, the thought of undergoing root canal treatment near you puts the fear of God inside them, but with the kind of technology we have today, there’s no need to panic. Fear comes about because there is limited information concerning a particular subject, so let’s understand what root canal therapy is all about.

What Is Root Canal Treatment?

The chief goal for our dentist in Sunset Hills is to save your natural teeth at all costs. But first, our dentist will consider the probability of saving your affected tooth by performing a root canal. Root canal therapy is done to save an infected tooth. To better understand the root canal treatment, you will need to explore the different parts of the tooth.

Your tooth has a crown, the top and visible part of your tooth, and the root under the gum and extends into your jaw bone. The crown is covered by a very sturdy substance known as enamel. The enamel keeps all the inner parts of the teeth safe.

Beneath the enamel are the dentin and the dental pulp at the tooth’s core. The dental pulp houses the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. It is the part that is “alive” in your teeth since these structures are necessary for the nourishment and growth of your teeth.

Under normal circumstances, the pulp is safely tucked under the enamel. But if you have a cavity (hole) in the enamel, the pulp will be exposed. When the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue are exposed, they become inflamed and eventually infected. Bacteria will continue to destroy the nerves, and an abscess will form, which can cause a lot of pain.

The infection occurs in the root canal, hence the name. The purpose of the procedure is to remove the infected pulp, clean the chamber, fill it and seal it, to reduce the chances of reinfection.

How Does Our Dentist Perform a Root Canal?

Our dentist will take x-rays to check the state of your root. The x-ray will help determine whether the root canal treatment is the right treatment. If it is, then our dentist will do the following:

• Administer local anesthesia. Administering local anesthesia is necessary since the area should be numb to ensure that you are not in pain during the procedure. You will also relax.
• Place a dental dam. A small rubber known as a dental dam is essential during a root canal since it isolates the affected tooth and keeps it dry throughout the procedure.
• Gain access. Our dentist near you will make a small opening in the crown to access the pulp
• Remove the pulp. Our dentist will use small dental instruments to remove the blood vessels, nerves, and tissues inside the root canal.
• Shape the root canal. Once the infected pulp is removed, our dentist will shape the root canal, clean it, and disinfect it
• Fill the canals. Your tooth cannot stay hollow, so our dentist will use a rubber material known as gutta-percha to fill the canal.
• Seal the tooth. Our dentist will seal the tooth using a temporary dental filling while you wait for the permanent restoration
• Place the final restoration. Crowns are usually the preferred restoration since they strengthen teeth.

How Long Does Root Canal Therapy Take?

How long the root canal procedure takes will depend on the amount of infection in your tooth. Therefore, it can take one or two appointments. The procedure is not long since it takes about half an hour to one hour to complete. If the tooth has multiple roots, it might take one and a half hours to complete.

Is It Painful to Get a Root Canal?

First, the procedure is usually performed when the area is under local anesthesia to ensure that the tooth is numb. So you will not be in pain. Second, the infection is the source of the pain, so once our dentist removes the infected pulp, the pain will be alleviated.

Now that you know more about root canals, are you willing to undergo the procedure? You can contact us at My STL Dentist to schedule an appointment.