4 Things You Should Know Before a Root Canal
Many of us can remember that time during out childhood, when it was time to make that trip the dentist. No matter how much your parents might have tried to assure you and no matter how nice your dentist might be, as a child, the vast majority of us simply hate going to the dentist – and much of that fear of the dentist chair comes from a lack of knowledge – and not having any idea where we are or why we are here. The fact of the matter is, when you look at the dentist from a distance, there’s truly little to no exposition – most dentists have monochromatic walls, and when you get there its not even the dentist that greets you, its usually a nurse of some kind, and then its just you, alone, in a chair you’ve never seen before waiting. So, an in-born fear of the dentist would make a lot of sense for a child, the problem is that even as we age, much of that dentist office confusion is still present. For instance, when it comes to certain procedures like a root canal, there’s no way to truly tell what it entails from the name. And whether you’re a child or an adult, you must agree that even the name root canal is fairly scary, especially when you put it into the context of sitting in that large chair, in a dark, dimly lit, monochromatic room and a series of tools that look more like torture devices on a tray next to you. According to Dr. Marina Pinkhasova, as the top family dentist Forest Hills has to offer, its not just kids that are confused, one of the most popular questions she is asked, is what exactly a root canal is anyway. For those who know it might sound silly, but when you think about it it’s a procedure that is probably the most common and often discussed dental procedure, but many individuals have no idea what it is until right before they are in the chair about to have one! To better educate patients on what exactly a root canal entails, the top family dentist Forest Hills has in practice, Dr. Pinkhasova offers us these things to know.
· What is a Root Canal Anyway?
Before going too in depth, its important that we understand what a root canal actual is in the first place. A root canal is a procedure in which your dentist will work on getting rid of all of the infected pulp within your problem tooth by drilling into that tooth. He or she will clean out, as well as shape, the inside of your tooth and then fill it in and seal it in order to prevent further problems. In some cases, a filling is all you need, but other times, that is not enough. Your dentist might recommend a follow-up appointment during which he or she will place a crown on your tooth. This will serve to further protect the tooth so you will be able to chew on it comfortably once again.
· Not as Painful as You Thought
The procedure isn’t as scary as you thought, and while some individuals are looking for a laugh at your expense the fact is root canals are actually quite commonplace and nowhere near as painful as some people think. The root canal procedure is likely to cause some discomfort after the procedure, yet this sensitivity can be mitigated with a pain reliever. It is also possible for some discomfort to occur during the procedure. However, this discomfort is not reason enough to skip the root canal treatment. A local anesthetic will be applied prior to the therapy to mitigate pain. If you still feel pain following the procedure, take Tylenol or ibuprofen. Ask anyone who has had a root canal about the recovery period, and most will testify they were functional the day after. In rare cases, patients still feel pain after the procedure. If you feel such pain, meet with your dentist so he or she can take the steps necessary to improve your comfort.
· Sooner Rather Than Later
One of the most important things to know about a root canal procedure is that you need to get it done sooner rather than later, as the damage will often worsen and cause a series of complications. The faster you get the procedure done, the sooner you’ll be able to chew and live normally without pain or discomfort.
· Wait for Your Crown
According to the top family dentist Rego Park has to offer, Dr. Pinkhasova, having a root canal essentially means you need to have it capped off with a dental crown. Dental crowns are the same shape as teeth. Such crowns are almost always on top of the titanium implant to safeguard the leftover tooth structure and replace the functionality of molar teeth to enhance chewing. In most cases, your dentist will advise you to hold off on chewing or biting until your root canal has been complete. Often, a freshly treated tooth is quite delicate, and when you chew and bite on a tooth that has just recently undergone a root canal, it is quite sensitive and might result in new cracks and further unwanted damage in the long run.
For more information on root canals, other treatment or to schedule an appointment today, be sure to contact Dr. Pinkhasova today.
