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Oral Hygiene/Cleaning

Your teeth are solid and reliable tools that perform your everyday oral functions while giving you a beautiful smile. Though your teeth are concrete structures, they are still vulnerable to decay from plaque and bacteria, and physical damage.

When your teeth become compromised, it can weaken the structural integrity of your teeth and allow bacteria to penetrate the inner layers. Once this happens, a tooth infection can set in and, if not treated, can lead to severe health problems.

At Kennedy Heights Dental Centre, it is possible to save an infected tooth from extraction, eliminating the need for restorations and preventing further damage through root canal therapy.

What Causes Root Canal Infection?

The enamel of your tooth is hard but not impenetrable. The dentin layer beneath your tooth’s enamel consists of hollow canals leading to your tooth’s roots. The most exposed layers are the pulp chamber and the dental pulp. The pulp is the soft, living tissue inside a tooth containing blood vessels, soft tissues, and nerves.

When your teeth suffer damage that penetrates the enamel and reaches the dentin layer, bacteria can enter the inside layers of the teeth. Once bacteria reach your tooth’s canals, they begin destroying the pulp. The tissue becomes inflamed and irritated, which can then cause significant pain.

Eventually, bacteria can spread to the tooth’s root, leading to an abscess. It is a painful pocket of pus that forms to contain the bacteria. If not treated, the abscess grows more prominent and can even rupture. When this happens, it allows bacteria into the bloodstream, leading to inflammation of the blood vessels and severe health complications.

Symptoms of a Root Canal Infection

When bacteria enter the pulp and cause inflammation, it can cause severe toothache. While pain is the most common indication of an infection, there are several other symptoms like the following:

  • Swelling in the jaw near the affected tooth
  • A chronic bad taste in your mouth
  • Lingering pain and sensitivity
  • Loss of bone mass in the jawbone
  • An abscess on the gums

The Root Canal Procedure

An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in saving teeth that are badly decayed, infected, or injured. Also known as “root canal” therapy, this is the most common type of endodontic treatment and involves removing the pulp from the inside of the tooth to prevent further infection and decay. The empty inside of the tooth is then disinfected before it is sealed. Endodontic treatments save millions of teeth each year, allowing patients to maintain their functional smile for a lifetime.

The root canal procedure involves making a tiny hole on the surface of the infected tooth after administering a local anesthetic to numb the pain. Using specialized tools, we clean out the dental pulp and the tooth’s nerve. The roots and canals of the tooth are shaped and cleaned to prepare them to receive the filling material.

Then the tooth is disinfected, ensuring that no infected or decayed material is left inside the tooth. Next, we will fill the tooth with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha, which seals the cleaned canals and helps prevent further infection. Finally, we will protect your tooth with a crown to restore its function.

Why Should I Have An Endodontic Treatment?

Endodontists are dentists who specialize in performing root canal treatments and other procedures that involve the interior parts of the teeth. Root canal treatments are the most common procedure performed by endodontists, and they rely on their specialized training to diagnose and treat the underlying structural and tissue problems of the teeth. If you’re experiencing severe tooth pain that an oral surgeon or general dentist has already diagnosed as a root canal infection, then visiting an endodontist is your next step for relief.

At Kennedy Heights Dental Centre, our highly skilled endodontists will diagnose your condition by performing a thorough oral examination and taking X-rays of your teeth. A root canal is a simple, routine procedure that can relieve your pain and save your tooth. Your endodontist will remove the infected pulp from the interior of your tooth and clean the canals of the roots. If needed, your endodontist will seal the tooth with a crown to protect it from further damage. After the procedure, you should feel no discomfort at all, and our doctors will provide you with post-care kit to help you manage the pain when the anesthesia wears off.

To learn more about our endodontic treatments, visit our office, Kennedy Heights Dental Centre, at 11960 88 Ave, Delta, BC V4C 3C8, Canada. You can also reach us at 778.200.8556.