One of the most dreaded things that a dental patient can hear is that he or she needs a root canal. This can be for a variety of reasons. Any trauma or infection that comes in contact with the nerve of the tooth will require that this pulp or nerve to removed from the tooth. Prior to getting a root canal, the patient has usually experienced some type of dental pain for a period of time. A root canal could be required due to tooth decay or the tooth becoming abscessed. It could also be due to trauma such as a broken or chipped tooth, or sometimes the simple process of aging can cause the tooth or nerve to slowly die. Procedures for getting a Root Canal Lincolnwood, IL are very much like they are throughout the rest of the country.
A root canal may require several visits to the dentist depending on the condition of the tooth. Any infection or abscess will usually need to be cleared up prior to performing the procedure. This will require the dentist to place you on an antibiotic for several days prior to the appointment. The tooth will then be numbed. While a local anesthetic will have to be injected into the gum, there are other medications now being used to create patient comfort. The drugs may include a narcotic or some type of gas.
Once the tooth has become numb, the dentist will take films of the tooth to be able to refer to during the Root Canal Lincolnwood IL. The dentist will then establish a dry field or work area to keep the tooth dry. An opening will be drilled through the upper layers of the tooth to locate the nerve. Tiny files will then be used to remove the nerve from the tooth. Some can be used by hand while others may be connected to a small hand piece. This may take time and an additional x-ray to ensure that the entire nerve is removed. Once the nerve is removed the dentist will use various chemicals to clean, disinfect, and dry the inside of the nerve chambers. A rubber material will be used to fill the inside of the tooth and the tooth will either be filled or crowned. Your procedure is then complete.
