ROOT CANAL TREATMENT-SHOULD YOU JUST EXTRACT INSTEAD?

as your natural tooth. What if A root canal is not possible and I have to extract my tooth?

By Dr. Schuyler Pereira

Smilecraft is one of the top rated dental clinic’s in Goa. Dr Schuyler

Pereira completed his dental studies from the renowned New York University in USA. He maintains state of the art dental practices at Goa and Bangalore. At Smilecraft a holistic treatment approach is taken when it comes to dental health. We offer a wide range of dental services ranging from teeth cleaning to cosmetic dentistry and implant. We indeed craft smiles that will last you miles!

Quite often when an infection reaches the inner portion of the tooth it results in toothache. Add this time a simple filling would not help and you would require a root canal treatment. So what exactly is a root canal treatment and is it really necessary? Wouldn't it be better to extract tooth instead?

What is a root canal treatment?

Root canal treatment is done when infection reaches the inner portion of the tooth thereby leading to pain. At this stage a simple filling would not work as the damage is irreversible. What happens during a root canal treatment?

During a root canal your dentist would remove the infected portion of your tooth and fill it up with a special material. This involves cleaning it with special instruments and solutions. After this is completed your dentist may do a permanent filling followed by a crown if required. How long does a root canal procedure take?

Depending upon the extent of infection a root canal procedure could take anywhere between a single setting to multiple settings if the tooth is very badly infected.

Is getting a root canal done painful?

No your dentist will give you a local anesthetic injection before the procedure to ensure that you are comfortable during the entire procedure. How do I know if I need a root canal?

Usually the most common sign that you require a root canal is pain. Sometimes however this might not be the case and the tooth could be completely asymptomatic which is why your regular dental check ups are very important so that your dentist can detect any potential problems and address them early.

I am afraid of the dentist wouldn't it be better to just extract the tooth instead? No whenever possible it is always advisable to save a natural tooth rather than extracting it. Nothing is as good

In such cases the extraction of the natural tooth is required, it is very important that you replace it with a prosthetic option later. What happens if I do not replace my missing natural tooth?

Your natural teeth are held into position in the jaw with the help of the Adjacent teeth. If a missing tooth is not replaced ,all the other teeth will start moving into its position thereby causing issues such as food lodgment and affecting the entire bite.This can lead to un even tooth wear and can even cause issues such as headaches if left unchecked for a long time. Also this can weaken your adjacent teeth leading to early tooth loss. What are the options to replace a missing natural tooth?

There are various options to replace a missing natural tooth such as a fixed bridge, dental implants, or removable denture. Amongst all, dental implant is the closest replacement to the missing natural tooth however, that being said there is nothing which can compensate your natural tooth which is why it is very important to maintain your natural teeth.