Every tooth in your mouth has a blood and neurovascular (nerve) supply that provides nutrients and sensation to your teeth. If dental decay goes untreated, it will find its way to the nerve chamber of a tooth. This will usually present with pain to cold, hot, and pain when you bite. These are usually signs that you may need root canal therapy.
At Quentin Smile Dental, we focus on preventative means, however once root canal therapy is indicated, we conduct it with safe and pain-free measures.
What is a Root Canal? This is a common misnomer, since every tooth has a root canal (some even have more than one). The proper name is "root canal therapy" (RCT).
Root Canal Therapy simply involves accessing the tooth's nerve chamber while the patient is completely anesthetized. Next the nerve tissue is removed from the tooth to prevent any future occurrences of pain or sensitivity. The root canal is cleaned and shaped and cemented in with a biocompatible material called GuttaPercha. This material prevents any bacteria from entering the tooth.
After root canal therapy is completed, the tooth becomes structurally weakened and has a higher chance of fracture. Research and practice have show that crowning a tooth after RCT dramatically increased long term tooth survival. A post is needed to rebuild tooth structure in order to retain your crown.
