A root canal is performed when a tooth’s nerve is damaged and causing a person to feel intense pain. Many people think of root canals as scary, painful procedures that should be avoided if at all possible. However, this could not be further from the truth. Root canals themselves are actually fairly comfortable, as much as a dental procedure can be. The real discomfort involved is the pain from the damaged nerve that makes the root canal necessary. After a root canal is over, patients generally feel much better and are grateful for relief from the pain. Anyone who needs a Root Canal should know that the procedure is relatively simple and nothing to fear.
When a tooth’s nerve becomes damaged, it usually makes the tooth and area surrounding it hurt very badly. It can also cause extreme sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks. This pain can be so bad that people have a hard time concentrating on work, school or other activities during their day. People whose teeth have damaged nerves are likely to feel an intense throbbing or aching radiating from the bad tooth, and they may have difficult eating, drinking or speaking. A dentist is the only one who can determine if a root canal is necessary, so anyone experiencing excruciating tooth pain should go see a dentist immediately.
During a Root Canal, a dentist will drill a hole in the bad tooth in order to be able to access the tooth’s nerve. The nerve will be removed through the hole in the tooth, which essentially kills the tooth and prevents it from having any pain. The dentist will then fill the hole in the tooth and place a crown over it. The crown protects the tooth from become more damaged and prevents the need to extract the tooth entirely. After a root canal, people are typically quite relieved to have ended their pain and don’t ever experience any more discomfort from the tooth.
No one should be fearful of getting a root canal. The procedure is not painful and is fairly common. The real pain comes from the damaged nerve of the tooth, so getting root canal often helps people feel better. Anyone experiencing bad tooth pain should see a dentist to determine is a root canal is necessary.
