In case you have a major infection in the pulp of your teeth, your dentist might recommend undergoing a root canal treatment. Now, if you are unfamiliar with the procedure, it is natural to have questions and even concerns about it. The procedure involves the removal of the pulp of the teeth, which is why many individuals often feel concerned about its safety and potential side effects.

However, a root canal is, in general, quite an effective form of dental treatment with a good success rate. You can stay free of worries especially if you get the root canal done from a reputed dental clinic like Huch Family Dentistry. Here we answer some of the questions that you might have about root canal treatment or about endodontists.

What is root canal treatment?

The pulp of the teeth consists of nerves, blood vessels, and tissues responsible for the growth of the teeth. The procedure of the root canal involves making a small opening in the infected tooth and extracting the pulp. In case you visit an emergency dentist and it turns out that you need a root canal to treat an infection, he may refer you to an endodontist.

What is an endodontist?

Endodontics happens to be a branch of dentistry that focuses on treating the pulp of the teeth. Endodontists specialize in endodontics and treat diseases in these parts of the teeth. Root canal treatment falls under the specialization of endodontists too. These dental experts have to undergo additional training for about two to three years to specialize in this field.

When might your dentist recommend a root canal?

Dentists and endodontists often recommend a root canal to treat severe injuries, inflammations and infections of the dental pulp. Often, when the infection goes too far beyond what a normal filling can treat, root canal and extractions are the only options left. However, a root canal is often a better choice as it would allow you to retain your natural teeth.

Is root canal painful?

One of the most common questions that individuals have regarding dental procedures is how painful it would be. However, the key purpose of root canal is to treat dental problems that might be causing extreme pain. A reliable family dentistry would always inject a local anesthetic to numb the area before the procedure. Thus, you wouldn’t feel any pain during the root canal procedure even though you would still be awake. In modern times, endodontists at the leading dental clinics use state-of-the-art technology that works precisely, quickly and painlessly.

Are there any alternatives to root canal?

In the early stages of an infection, there are chances that a dentist can treat it through medications and fillings. However, if an emergency dental care center prescribes root canal, then the infection has likely grown too far already. In this case, there wouldn’t be any alternative to root canal treatment, except extraction. However, a tooth extraction would cause you to lose your natural tooth and have it replaced with an artificial one. Artificial teeth come with various limitations, especially regarding the type of food items that you can continue eating.

What happens to your tooth after the root canal procedure?

Once the root canal is complete and your tooth has healed, you can continue using it like you used to. The part of the tooth that lies above the gums, i.e., the crown, would remain intact even after an endodontist removes the pulp. In fact, in many cases, teeth that have undergone root canal still last a lifetime. For a few days after the treatment, you would have to make sure not to chew anything with the damaged tooth. After this, you would be able to go back to your normal eating habits. At most, you may need to have a crown placed over the tooth.

Are there any risks in undergoing root canal?

While the purpose of root canal is to save your tooth, like many other medical procedures, it involves certain risks. For instance, if a part of the infected pulp stays behind or the antibiotics fail to work properly, it may lead to an abscess. However, this is easily avoidable as long as you visit a family dentist who has adequate experience and knows his job well.

Another risk with a root canal is that if the infection has grown too much and made the dental structure fail, the tooth may not be able to withstand the root canal procedure at all. In this case, you may lose your tooth. This issue, however, isn’t a major cause of concern anymore, thanks to the advanced technologies that the leading dental clinics use to determine the condition of the tooth.

What happens if you skip root canal treatment?

A root canal isn’t as scary as it may seem, as modern technologies and the expertise of dentists make the process painless and hassle-free. However, many individuals who do not feel very comfortable about the procedure often consider avoiding it. This isn’t really a good idea, taking into account the fact that root canal aims to treat infections that are at an advanced stage. Leaving the infected pulp in significantly raises the chances of the infection spreading to other teeth or deeper into the nerves.

Why choose Huch Family Dentistry?

In case you are wondering “Where can I find a reliable emergency dentist near me in SC?”, Huch Family Dentistry is one of your best options. We are a leading dentistry offering reliable and expert services for years. Our endodontists possess great skills and expertise in this field too. In case you need a root canal, it is logical to get it done from a reputed dental clinic. After all, you would want the procedure to be as quick, painless and effective as possible. Some of the factors that make our emergency dental services and root canal treatment reliable are:

  • We use sophisticated technologies for the procedure
  • We care deeply about the safety of our patients
  • We provide high-quality dental fillings whenever needed
  • We possess a great track record in offering dental treatments
  • We help our patients with every query that may have about a procedure

Thus, if you are looking for a reliable dentist, you can always get in touch with us. If you have any queries or wish to book an appointment, call us at (843) 797-0782 or fill up this form.