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WHAT IS ENDODONTIC TREATMENT OR ROOT CANAL THERAPY?
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Prior to recent advances in medicine, damage to the core of a tooth usually meant
removal. The modern solution is a root canal, known in the medical community as
Endodontic treatment.
This procedure usually involves several trips to the dentist and is performed in
the dentist's chair. A root canal procedure cleans, disinfects, and refills the
interior of the tooth, thereby preventing serious pain and permanent damage to
decayed teeth.
A root canal is usually performed on a cracked tooth or a tooth with a deep
cavity. If a root canal is not performed bacteria is able to enter the core of
the tooth (the pulp) and cause decay of the nerve, tissue, and blood vessels in
the tooth's canal. If left untreated, the diseased tooth may become extremely
sensitive to heat and cold, may throb, or even cause infection in the jawbone
(an abscess).
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The Root Canal Procedure
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During the surgical portion of a root canal, the decayed tooth is first
anesthetized. A hole is made through the crown of the tooth, down into the pulp.
Dr. Zajacz uses tiny metal instruments to extract the remaining pulp from the
tooth, and thoroughly cleans and disinfects the canal. If the tooth canal is
twisted, Dr. Zajacz may have to enter the tooth through the gums to remove the
difficult-to-reach pulp.
Once cleaned out, the canal is re-shaped to allow Dr. Zajacz to easily and
completely fill the interior of the tooth. The canal is filled with a rubberized
inert material that helps prevent future infection. A temporary seal protects the
tooth until the patient can return to our office.
A post core procedure to rebuild the anatomical structure of the tooth is
administered to serve as the supporting structure for a permanent CEREC or
porcelain crown. After that, the dental crown is fitted on the tooth to
permanently seal it. Through these procedures we are able to provide the best
available long-term solution to the injured tooth. At Dr. Zajacz office, all
these treatment is completed during one single visit.
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