The inside of a typical tooth root is filled with a soft tissue; the nerves of the tooth are contained in this tissue. Any part of a tooth which is buried below the gum line is considered to be the “root” and when you heat the term “root canal” the individual has undergone a dental procedure where this soft tissue and the nerves of the tooth have been removed as a result of severe infection or an abscess. From the point of view of the dentist, a root canal in Colorado Springs is known as a pulpotomy or pulpectomy.
Often an adult tooth will begin to ache and the gum area surrounding a specific tooth may appear inflamed and swollen. If the pain is unique to one tooth and not a number of teeth there is a very good chance that the soft tissue in the root has become infected in some manner. In some cases the problem can be eliminated with a course of antibiotics but more often than not the problem will only be solved permanently if the tooth is subjected to a root canal in Colorado Springs. If a root canal is the solution, with proper pre-treatment care for the infection the entire process should take about the same amount of time as it takes to have a couple of fillings done at once.
Once the root canal in Colorado Springs has been completed the patient will usually experience some mild discomfort for a couple of days. This pain is nothing really other than trauma inflicted on the tissue and can be addressed with ibuprofen or other mild pain reliever. If the pain persists or it is severe enough to cause you some distress the dentist can prescribe a narcotic pain reliever; whatever the case, stick with soft food for a few days until the pain has subsided.
In many cases the dentist will have to destroy much of the top of the tooth to access the soft tissue and nerves. If this is the case the dentist will suggest fitting a crown over the top of the tooth, the crown can be made from porcelain if the tooth is visible or silver or gold if the tooth is towards the back of the mouth. Although the crown is an added expense it is well worth it as the only other solution is to extract the tooth and either fit a bridge or an equally expensive dental implant.
If you have a tooth which is infected it may be necessary for your dentists at Lehman Drive Dental to perform a root canal. A root canal in Colorado Springs is a far better solution than having the tooth extracted as the adjacent teeth will not become a long term problem.
