Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent.
An Interview with Dr.Andrew Greenberg on Root Canal
Dr. Andrew Greenberg is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Root Canal.
Q. What is root canal treatment?
A. In the center of each living human tooth there is naturally a space which contains the nerves or "pulp" of that tooth. This space is known as the root canal and its vitality or life is not crucial to that tooth’s function in the mouth once it is erupted.
In some cases it may be necessary to remove the nerve from one of your teeth to get you out of pain and save that tooth from being pulled. This procedure is known as a "Root Canal" or Root Canal Therapy.
If you are feeling tooth pain when you drink cold liquids or eat/chew something very cold you are likely to have inflamed tissue in your root canal. This inflammation and increased sensitivity can be caused by oral bacteria and their byproducts entering your root canal space through a cavity or underneath a leaky restoration.
Depending on the character and duration of your pain as well as the analysis of radiographic and clinical tests we can advise you as to whether it is possible to fix your tooth with a simple filling or if the decay will possibly lead us to the pulp.
If we indeed end up in the pulp we will remove the nerve of that tooth and fully clean the tooth’s inside to remove any contamination using the most current computer technology and techniques. Next we fill the sterile canal with a rubber-like material which we "glue" to the walls of your tooth’s canals for maximum insulation from recontamination.
In some root canal treated teeth we will need to put a carbon-fiber post into one of your canals in order to retain our buildup which replaces any missing tooth structure. This is known as a "post and core".
Q. What does treatment involve?
A. Treatment involves a "rubber dam" to isolate the tooth from the oral environment. Next we enter the pulp chamber and locate the canals which we clean and shape with a series of rotary files down to the end of the root which we detect using x-rays of files in the canals and our computer which detects the apex. During this process we rinse the canals with various chemicals to lubricate, sterilize, and decontaminate any residual debris from the nerve, filings, and bacterial contaminants. Next we fill the sterile canal with a rubber-like material which we "glue" to the walls of your tooth’s canals for maximum insulation from recontamination.
Q. What are the signs of needing endodontic treatment?
A. Spontaneous sharp pain and/or lingering pain especially to cold are the main signs of need of root canal treatment. If the bacterial damage goes too far the sharp pain can give way to a dull throbbing pain, which signifies the death of the tooth and subsequent bacterial infiltration into the surrounding tissues of the end of the root. When the tooth first starts hurting in response to cold is the best time to seek dental care.
Q. Are pain pills and antibiotics an acceptable substitute for root canal?
A. Although sometimes they can dull the pain, few pills are strong enough to quell a full blown inflammation of the nerve tissues of the tooth. The only way to save a tooth once the bacteria have fully infiltrated the canals is to remove the nerve and seal the tooth off from the oral bacteria.
Q. Are there alternative treatments for root canal?
A. Unfortunately extraction or pulling the tooth is the only alternative to root canal treatment
Q. How much will the procedure cost?
A. Root canals have different costs based on which tooth is being treated. The back teeth have more canals than front teeth and are generally more difficult and require more materials and thus cost more.
Q. Will the tooth need any special care or additional treatment?
A. Most root canal treated teeth will require buildups and crowns for maximum strength and durability. The buildup replaces any tooth structure missing as a result of the decay and the crown holds the remaining tooth structure together and covers it to protect from breaking under chewing forces over time.
Q. How to contact Dr. Greenberg if we have further questions?
A.
Address:
1098 East Montague
Ave. North Charleston,
SC 29405
Phone:843.628.7744
Email: mouthcarolinadentistry@gmail.com
Website: http://www.mouthcarolina.com/
