One of the things people fear most about root canals is the possibility of a root canal gone bad. For some people that outweighs even the possibility of pain after root canal surgery. With today's technology and techniques the possibility of complications after root canal treatment are minimal. In fact, the procedure has changed so much that the American Association of Endodontists decided it should be renamed to root canal therapy rather than treatment or surgery. While some may think this change unnecessary, it does reflect the extent to which the procedure has improved.
A root canal gone bad can cause discomfort or pain after the root canal procedure and often means that it will need to be redone. One of the problems with root canal treatment is the complexity of the procedure. Many teeth have more than one root and some have more than is typically normal. The size and shape of the root can also have an impact on the procedure. The root is pretty small and long with very little space, this makes getting down to the bottom to clean out the infection difficult. There's also the possibility of a fractured root, which is almost impossible to repair and some people are even sensitive to gutta percha, the material used to fill the root.
Dentistry has developed a number of tools for preventing a root canal gone bad. Digital x-ray technology has improved to the point where it is a great advantage to a root canal dentist. This allow the dentist to zoom in and enhance the image, providing a better image with more detail of the root structure of the tooth. Sonar instrumentation is another valuable too for finding the exact end of a canal, allowing the dentist to do as thorough a job as possible. High torque handpieces and titanium files enable a dentist to work quickly and with a more precision than was possible before.
At the Atlanta Dental Group PC our dentists would rather save their patients' tooth and money as well by doing a root canal rather than extracting the tooth and we try hard to minimize the possibilty of a root canal gone bad. If you have a tooth extraction, you must replace the gap left behind with a dental bridge, dental partial or dental implant. These can be expensive and each one has a number of potential drawbacks. A bridge can over-stress the adjacent teeth causing failure. Partials can create problems for your gums and implants, while strong and long lasting, are expensive and not everyone is a candidate. Our dentists are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being and you are welcome to join our family of patients. If you would like to make a free dental consultation, call 404-874-7428.
