Root canal - Lapointe dental centres

A root canal is a technique permitting the preservation of a tooth, the nerve of which is weakened or afflicted by an abscess. The causes can be a deep cavity, a blow to the jaw or excessive clenching of the teeth. Once the blood canal is reached, the bacteria will travel to the end of the root (called the apex). From there, the multiplication of bacteria will cause an abscess. Usually, the pain related to the abscess is caused by the pressure exerted by the lesion on neighbouring tissues. The first thing to do in this type of situation is to consult your dentist. Obviously it would have been wiser to consult much sooner. But once the damage is done, you have two solutions: extraction, or a root canal. If certain reasons urge you to choose extraction, be sure you know all the consequences related to this irreversible decision. In fact, nature has provided our teeth with a mechanism ensuring that they all touch each other. Hence, the probabilities are high that migration will occur after the extraction. Moreover, it tends to maintain contact between the upper and lower teeth. Because of this phenomenon, the tooth opposed to the empty space would indefinitely follow an eruption movement and might even come out of its socket. It could possibly become mobile and sensitive and its loss would then be probable. In the long run, it is possible that the extraction of a single tooth could lead to the loss of others. To proceed with the root canal, we must first eliminate all sources of infection, usually with antibiotics. Once the infection is under control, we will proceed to local anaesthesia to ensure the comfort of the patient during the intervention. Then, an opening will be made to access the nerve. The latter will be removed from the tooth. The space left behind will be thoroughly cleaned with a file, then filled with a rubber-like material. The last step consists of cementing a crown so as to protect and solidify the lifeless tooth.

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The information in this capsule contains general information and is for educational purposes.