Our Sanford sedation dental office understands that it can be challenging for patients getting root canal therapy who suffer from dental anxiety or who have trouble relaxing. For patients who are looking for comfort dentistry or would like assistance in helping to relax during their appointments, we ask that you enquire about our sedation dentistry options.
Root canal therapy removes blood vessels and nerves from a tooth that may be infected and/or damaged. It may also be required to remove a “live” nerve from a tooth (sometimes known as “elective” root canal therapy). Several things including decay, injury and gum disease can cause root canal infection. Root canal treatment or therapy may be the only way to repair your tooth if it has been badly damaged by infection.
Your teeth have a core of blood vessels and nerves at their center. This living tissue is called the pulp and is in a space called the root canal. The number of root canals in each tooth varies depending on how far back it is in your mouth. Front teeth often have one root canal, while back teeth may have three or more. If your tooth is injured or has deep decay, the pulp can be damaged and the blood vessels may die.
A “dead” tooth is likely to get infected. Without treatment, a dental abscess (collection of pus) can form as the bacteria multiply and are forced beyond the end of the root. As the collection of pus is trying to expand within the bone, the tooth may rise slightly out of its socket and feel tender when you bite down. If left untreated, the infection may spread to the nerves and surrounding tissues and cause nausea, fever and difficulty swallowing.
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