How Successful is a Root Canal Treatment?

Patients often come to endodontists when they need root canal treatment, an intervention in which a severely damaged or decayed tooth is preserved and infection eliminated.

In performing a root canal, an endodontist clears the pulp from the tooth’s innermost chamber and then thoroughly cleans the canal to remove any remaining bacteria.

The procedure becomes necessary when injury to a tooth exposes the pulp to bacteria found in the oral cavity or when decay has progressed so far that it involves the pulp. Infected pulp can eventually become an abscess, which poses a number of potential risks for the patient.

Furthermore, the tooth’s nerve center is contained in the pulp, and inflammation there can cause the patient pain.

After the chamber is cleared, the endodontist will fill it with an inert rubber-like substance. The tooth is then fitted with a crown for further protection.

Root canals are successful in the vast majority of cases, and with the support of a restoration, many teeth can be stabilized for the rest of the patient’s lifetime. Nonetheless, patients may need to undergo a repeat treatment in the rare cases in which complications arise with the original root canal.

If you’re one of those patients who dread the idea of a root canal because of the procedure’s negative reputation, rest assured that the process is not nearly as uncomfortable as it used to be. In fact, many patients report that they don’t experience any more discomfort with a root canal than they do when getting a cavity filled.

Modern instruments allow the practitioner to perform the root canal with improved comfort for patients. Sedation is also available, in addition to the local anesthetics used in root canals, for particularly anxious patients.

Root canal therapy is a valuable treatment that can ward off tooth loss. If you have suffered damage or decay to your tooth, consider a root canal to help save the tooth. Contact our endodontists serving the DFW area to learn more and to schedule your consultation.