Root canal treatment refers to a procedure in which your dentist resorts to repair one of your teeth. He will do so when his diagnosis indicates the tooth is decaying rapidly because of a bacterial infection. This is necessary to save the tooth. It involves removing the pulp and its surrounding nerves from inside the decaying tooth. To do so, he drills a hole in the decaying tooth to remove the pulp and its surrounding nerves. He then proceeds to disinfect and sterilize the pulp to get rid of the bacteria surrounding it. Then he puts the pulp in a biocompatible material before replacing it in the tooth.

Dr. Kami Hoss – What are the symptoms to indicate you need a root canal treatment?

Dr. Kami Hoss is a renowned dentist from Chula Vista, California, with over 20 years of experience. He is both a graduate and has the honor of being a Board Counselor at the University of California, Los Angeles. His area of expertise is orthodontics, general, and pediatric dentistry. He is even the author of many authoritative books on these areas of dentistry. He is passionate about educating people about the necessity of oral healthcare and hygiene. Currently, he is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of The Super Dentists – an award-winning dental clinic serving the community in Southern California.

An insight into root canal treatment

Dr.Kami Hoss says your dentist will recommend you to take a root canal treatment when you exhibit the following symptoms:

  1. You experience severe pain when biting into or chewing all types of food items,
  2. Pimples are starting to appear in many places on your gums,
  3. There is a crack or chip in one of your teeth;
  4. Your gums are beginning to swell and become tender,
  5. The color of your gums is becoming dark which indicates a deep tooth decay, and
  6. You experience an overwhelming sensitive sensation long after drinking a warm or cold beverage.

Kami Hoss further states the root canal treatment your dentist performs normally involves the following steps:

  • Your dentist will take an x-ray of the decaying tooth and then administer a local anesthetic to you,
  • He proceeds to place a protective sheet over the decaying tooth to clean it and dry out any saliva,
  • Your dentist then drills a hole in the decaying tooth’s crown to remove, clean and sterilize the pulp,
  • He will subsequently clean the root canal surrounding the decaying tooth and prepare space for the filling,
  • After cleaning the space, the dentist places the pulp which is within a biocompatible material,
  • The dentist the applies an adhesive cement to seal the pulp within the space and surrounding root canal, and
  • Finally, the dentist places a crown on top of the tooth to prevent any further possible infection.

Dr. Kami Hoss sums up by saying undergoing a root canal treatment can help you save a decaying tooth. It is a better and cheaper option than extracting the tooth. The procedure involves your dentist drilling a small hole in the tooth to take out the pulp. He then cleans and sterilizes the pulp before putting it back into place. In the process, he prevents any further possible bacterial infection affecting the tooth.