It’s a touchy subject, in more ways that one: the root canal procedure. Often the most dreaded of all procedures at the dentist, New Fairfield residents should take heart that it’s mostly a lot of bad press — and although the procedure fixes a very serious problem, it’s not nearly the terrifying ordeal it might’ve been a few decades ago.
Root canal procedures are simply those that work on the pulp of the tooth, which can for many reasons become infected. The pulp is beneath the enamel, and beneath the dentin — it’s at the interior of every tooth, and progressed decay can cause that soft tissue to become quite painful in some cases. Sometimes there isn’t even any visible evidence that there’s a problem in the tooth, and the pain is the thing that brings patients to the dentist.
In years past, an infection at the pulp level meant the tooth invariably had to be extracted. Thankfully, modern dental techniques not only manage pain in the area quite effectively — leading to vastly improved patient comfort — but there are also procedures that can remove the infected tissue from the root canals. In some situations the next step would be for the dentist to place a post in the canal, upon which a restoration such as a crown can be placed. In others, after the removal of tissue, the dentist only prescribes antibiotics. Depending upon the severity and progression of the infection, many general practice dentists are able to perform the procedure themselves — or they may recommend a specialist.
For more information about root canal procedures and others offered at out clinic, contact the dentist New Milford patients recommend to their friends and family today, and come in for an examination!