Everything You Need to Know About Root Canals, Crowns and Bridging

A root canal is a dental procedure that all of us are familiar with. Root canals are something we all dread, although when someone else is getting the procedure most of us find it to be somewhat amusing. When someone asks for a root canal, on the other hand, most of us, including dentists, find it to be very absurd, to say the least.

Root canals are a very common procedure these days, as they help to save the tooth by removing the dead or dying pulp. The pulp exists inside of the tooth, and can spread to an abscess if it isn’t taken care of. The tissue in the pulp is kept alive by the blood vessels that come from the tip of the root and travel along the root canal into the tooth.

Decay is the main reason for pulp in the tooth dying. Once the decay has reached the pulp, it will keep eating away until the pulp has died. Once it dies, the toxins from the decay will be released into the root tip and make its way into the jawbone. If not taken care of properly, the jawbone can become infected, which can lead to death in rare cases.

To fix this problem, the dentist will need to perform a root canal. During the procedure, he will numb the area then drill a hole into the tooth. Using various tools and equipment, he will go down inside of the tooth and scrape away the nerves and dead pulp. This is a very effective procedure, although very time consuming as well. In most cases, a root canal can take several hours although it is the only way to stop the dying pulp and save the tooth. Even though it may take a long time - it is more than worth it when it saves your tooth from being extracted.

When a tooth is fractured, has a large old filling, or is severely damaged by decay, dentist may recommend the placement of a dental crown. Crowns strengthen and protect the remaining teeth structure and can improve the appearance of your smile.

Types of crowns include the full porcelain crown, the porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (precious & non-precious) and the all-metal crown.

Few incidents have a greater impact on dental health and personal appearance than tooth loss. When one or more teeth are missing, the remaining teeth can drift out of position, which can lead to a change in the bite, the loss of additional teeth, decay and gum disease. When tooth loss occurs, a dentist may recommend the placement of a bridge. A bridge is one or more replacement teeth anchored by one or more crowns on each side.