Restorative root canal therapy is used to treat severely infected teeth or cracked and chipped teeth, typically providing immediate relief. But what are the long-term effects of a root canal? In this article, we discuss this question and describe what happens during the root canal procedure.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of a Root Canal?
Root canal therapy is commonly used to eliminate severe infection and save the tooth from extraction. Natural tooth preservation is the most important long-term benefit of a root canal, while removing infection provides more immediate benefits, such as pain relief and preventing the spread of infection to the surrounding teeth, gum tissue, and jawbone. Let us look at the long-term effects of a root canal in detail:
Root Canal Prevents Bone Resorption
Jawbone resorption, or jawbone density loss, is a process that occurs when you lose your natural teeth. The roots of the lost teeth no longer stimulate the bone, so the body stops sending nutrients to that area. This leads to the bone “shrinking” and, as a result, changes in the facial structure and “sunken” appearance.
Saving your natural tooth with root canal therapy allows you to avoid bone resorption and preserve facial structure. The only other dental restoration that can offer similar benefits is dental implants.
Root Canal Prevents Bite and Tooth Alignment Changes
If a natural tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth may shift to fill the gap. This changes the alignment of the teeth and bite and might cause not only cosmetic issues, but also TMJ disorder, jaw and neck pain, and headaches.
Preserving your natural tooth with a root canal eliminates these issues and also helps maintain the chewing function.
Who Is a Good Candidate for A Root Canal Procedure?
Typically, root canal therapy is used when the infection reaches the inner pulp and nerves of the tooth or if the tooth is chipped or cracked and the dentin is exposed. However, severely infected and weakened teeth, especially when the surrounding tissue is also affected, may not respond to the treatment. Also, teeth broken at the gum line can not be saved with a root canal.
In these cases, your doctor is likely to recommend tooth extraction instead and subsequent replacement of the lost tooth with a dental bridge or an implant.
What Happens During a Root Canal Procedure
During a root canal procedure, your dentist begins by making a small hole in the crown of the tooth to access its inner pulp, roots, and nerves. Then your doctor cleans the canals, removing the infected or damaged tissue. When the canals are reliably cleaned, your dentist fills them with biocompatible material and hermetically seals the tooth.
Typically, root canal therapy takes 40 to 90 minutes, depending on the complexity of the case and the number of canals. The procedure is always performed after numbing the area with a local anesthetic and does not cause pain or significant discomfort.
In cases when the infection significantly compromises the tooth’s structure, a dental crown is placed after root canal therapy. A crown reinforces the tooth and prevents it from chipping or cracking under chewing forces.
Get Root Canal Therapy at Dental Care of Pomona
If you have symptoms of tooth infection, do not hesitate to make an appointment with a general dentist at Dental Care of Pomona as soon as possible. Timely treatment can help save the tooth from extraction and preserve the health of the surrounding teeth, gum tissue, and jawbone. We are looking forward to your visit.
