When decay or a crack reaches the nerve inside a tooth, the nerve dies and the tooth becomes infected. That is the pain that keeps you up at night. A root canal removes the infected nerve, cleans and seals the canals, and the tooth stays in your mouth. The alternative is pulling it.
The root canal is the cure, not the cause
Root canals have a reputation for pain that they do not deserve. The pain is the infection. Once the tooth is numb and the nerve is out, the pain stops. Most people say it felt like getting a filling, just longer.
How it is done
Dr. Seyal numbs the tooth completely and isolates it with a small rubber sheet. He opens the top of the tooth, removes the nerve tissue from each canal, cleans and shapes the canals, and fills them with a rubber-like material that seals them. One visit for a front tooth, sometimes two for a molar. Afterward the tooth almost always needs a crown, because a tooth without its nerve becomes brittle.
Root canal or extraction
Keeping your own tooth is nearly always better: nothing chews like a real tooth, and the neighbors stay in place. But not every tooth can be saved, and Dr. Seyal will tell you plainly if it cannot. If the tooth does have to come out, he will go over how to replace it so you are not left with a gap.
What you get
- The toothache stops
- You keep your own tooth
- Numbed completely; most people compare it to a filling
- Usually one or two visits
- Cheaper over time than pulling the tooth and replacing it
Questions people ask
Root Canal Treatment: FAQ
How do I know if I need a root canal?
A tooth that throbs on its own, hurts with hot drinks, hurts to bite on, or has a pimple on the gum next to it. Only an exam and x-ray can say for sure. Call (502) 778-0999.
Does a root canal hurt?
The procedure itself, no. The tooth is fully numb. It can be tender to bite on for a few days after, which ibuprofen handles.
Do I really need a crown afterward?
On a back tooth, yes. Without the nerve the tooth dries out and cracks under chewing pressure, and then it is lost anyway. A front tooth can sometimes get by with a filling.
