Root Canal Treatment in Our Dental Office in Redmond, WA
When a tooth has been damaged from decay, cracks, or trauma; bacteria can invade the nerve in the center of the tooth. These bacteria destroy the nerve along with the blood vessels that the body’s defenses and antibiotics use to get to the infection. Without the immune system threat, the bacteria can thrive.
After the nerve of a tooth becomes infected, there are only two options to remedy the problem; extract the tooth or do a root canal. A root canal is a procedure that removes the infected nerve tissue from the tooth. It usually costs less money and takes less time to have this done than replacing the tooth after an extraction. Although there are many horror stories out there, this treatment is not supposed to be painful and its success rate is very high.
The procedure is done by drilling a hole in the top of the tooth or crown and then using special instruments to remove the infection. Different solutions are then used to sterilize the area. The last step is to place a material in the nerve chamber to prevent bacteria from returning.
Because root canal teeth become brittle, it is generally recommended to place crowns on these teeth to prevent the tooth from splitting in two.