People do not always think of teeth as alive, but they are. At the center of each tooth is an area called the pulp chamber. Nerves and blood vessels extend through the path known as the root canal to the pulp chamber, bringing the tooth sensation and nourishment. When the nerves and blood vessels at...
No one likes the idea of getting a root canal or a tooth extraction. Unfortunately, the dentist might recommend one of these procedures at some point. It is important to note that while they both address the problem of a severely decayed or damaged tooth, they are not interchangeable. A root canal can save a...
Updated 6/15/2020 The very name “root canal” can conjure dreadful notions of pain and suffering in the minds of patients. It’s no wonder that many people put off getting a root canal, fearing both pain during the root canal procedure and the soreness that could come afterwards. Fortunately, thanks to better techniques, improved technology, and...
A dental crown is a cover or cap that is placed over a tooth. This might be because of damage, decay, or after a root canal procedure. Crowns are molded out of gold, porcelain fused to metal, ceramic or resin in the shape of the original tooth. Root canals and crown placements are considered endodontic...
Why see an endodontist? There are some dental issues that are better left to a specialist rather than a regular dentist. An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in problems with the soft tissue and nerves inside teeth. An endodontist starts out with the same education as a dentist but then gets two or three...
If you have dental pain, it might mean you have pulpitis. Pulpitis is an infection inside the tooth and needs a dentist’s attention. There are ways you can manage the pain of pulpitis until you can make an appointment with a qualified dentist. Causes of Pulpitis Pulpitis gets its name from the part of the...
While having a toothache is never any fun, dismissing it as “not that big of a deal” could be a big mistake. This is because the pain you are feeling could be a warning sign of pulpitis. What Is Pulpitis? Pulpitis occurs when a bacterial infection spreads to the pulp chamber of an infected tooth,...
If you have pain while chewing, swollen gums, sensitivity to hot or cold, a chipped or broken tooth, or a cavity that you’ve ignored, the answer to “when is a root canal needed?” is most likely “Now!” Of course, a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist) will be the one to decide if it’s...
When people ask how long a root canal procedure lasts, they can mean one of two things: First, how long does the root canal procedure itself take, and second, how long until they might need to have the procedure redone? The Root Canal Procedure A root canal procedure is necessary when the pulp at the...
Deep inside the center of every tooth is an area called the pulp chamber. An infection in the pulp chamber can be painful and lead to serious dental issues. What exactly is dental pulp? And how does dental pulp get infected? What is Dental Pulp? Dental pulp is sometimes called the root of the tooth....