What is a Root Canal?
Also known as endodontic therapy, a root canal procedure is a dental treatment that eliminates existing infection and protects against further bacterial invasion. Many patients refer to the procedure as a “root canal.” The actual root canals are hollow spaces within a tooth, which are inhabited by blood vessels and nerve tissues.
Root Canal Procedure
In most cases, an x-ray will be taken to ascertain the shape of the root canals, and determine if the infection has spread. Local anesthesia is administered to ensure numbness of the area, for patient comfort. A drill is used to create an access hole in the tooth. The dentist will use root canal files to clean out the infected material. Water, or sodium hypochlorite, flushes away any left-over debris. After the canals are free of infection, the tooth has to be sealed. Your dentist will decide if this should be done within the same appointment. The interior of the tooth is filled with a sealer paste and a rubber compound, and a filling is placed on the access hole that was drilled. If this is just too anxiety inducing for you, you can opt for oral sedation, which is also used for many of our more popular cosmetic dental procedures.
Consult your Libertyville Cosmetic Dentist
Schedule an appointment with our 60092 dentist office by calling 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.