Root canals are a common tool for removing a persisting infection from the inside of a tooth. When discussing infection treatment options with your dentist, several sections of the tooth will be mentioned. It's important to know what these sections are and how they correlate so that you fully understand the procedure. And the knowledge can help you to better understand how improper oral healthcare can affect your teeth in the future.
Here are the key dental regions associated with a root canal.
Dental Crown
Open your mouth and look at your teeth. The white section you can see that is positioned over the gums is called the crown. A dental crown is made up of a clear protective layer called enamel and a harder interior material called dentin. Most surface tooth stains caused by coffee and wine is on the enamel. Significant tooth cracks go through the dentin.
The crown provides a protective housing for the supporting root structures and the important canal inside those roots. During a root canal procedure, the top part of the crown must be removed in order to access the canal. At the end of the procedure, the dentist will place an artificial crown or filling over that hole to seal everything back up.
Root Canal and Pulp
The canal inside the tooth contains the blood cells, tissue and nerves that make the tooth a living part of your body. At the top of the canal is the pulp chamber, which holds most of this living tissue. The canal then splits into sections with each traveling the length of an individual root until exiting at the bottom into the jawbone.
If naturally occurring oral bacteria is able to infiltrate the root canal, painful inflammation and infection can occur. That's when a root canal procedure is often recommended.
During a root canal, the dentist will remove the upper part of the crown and scrape out the infected pulp material from the canal. An antibiotic wash is flushed into the canal to help prevent the infection from recurring. A filling material is then used to plug the canal to further prevent future infections.
Root Apex
If you're suffering from frequent infections, or require a second root canal on the same tooth, your dentist might recommend an apicoectomy. An apicoectomy involves removing the hard-to-reach ends of the roots. This root end is called the apex.
The apex is located at the bottom of the root where the canal enters into the jawbone. Infections in the apex are difficult to reach via root canal so this supplementary procedure might be required to stop the infections for good. After the apex is removed, the root end is sealed shut so that infections can't take hold down there again. For more information, talk to a professional like Round Lake Dental Clinic.
Share13 April 2015
Toddlers should see a dentist for the first time by the age of twelve months or by the time their first tooth comes in. But if you are a parent with toddlers anything like mine, the prospect of going to the dentist (let alone anywhere!) can be pretty intimidating. My kids were a handful growing up. They had tantrums any time we would have to sit in a waiting room, and they refused to get in the dentist's chair during their first few visits. So, I had to employ a professional to help me make the transition to finally getting them in that dental chair without all the screaming and crying. I know I'm not the only parent in this situation, so I decided to share the information I've learned with others who can use a little help. You can find all my advice right here on these pages!