Sometimes, when you have a toothache, it is due to the tooth being severely decayed. If the toothache is causing you severe pain, the nerves on the inside of the tooth may be dying or already dead. If this is the case, you’ll need to either have the tooth extracted or the nerve removed from the tooth, in order to remove the abscess. Removing the nerve will save the tooth and the procedure is known as a root canal.
Root canals are very common within the world of dentistry, as they represent a known way to save the tooth from dying. Although many people end up having their teeth extracted, others turn to the root canal. This dental procedure isn’t preferred by many, as it can take quite a long time, normally around 3 – 4 hours. If the abscess is severe, it will take longer, as the dentist will have to scrape out all of the dying pulp from inside of the tooth.
Now days, dentists are starting to use machines to do a majority of the scraping and probing associated with root canals. In the past, the dentist had to do it all themselves, which took quite a bit of time. Now, with the use of a machine, the dentist can drill the hole in the tooth then let the machine to do the scraping. This helps to cut down on the amount of time for a root canal, as well as ensure that all the dead or dying pulp has been removed efficiently.
The choice you need to make when thinking about a root canal, is whether you wish to save the dying tooth. Sometimes, a dentist will recommend the root canal, especially if they think it would be in your best interest to save the tooth. Other times, he will let you make the decision, and decide if you want to save it or just go ahead and have it extracted.
Although the root canal is a procedure that many fear, it is also a procedure that can save the life of your tooth. If you have a dying tooth, you should consider this procedure. Your dentist will walk you through more details of the procedure, if need be. Set up a consultation to make sure you fix your pained tooth as soon as possible.