Why Do Root Canals Take Two Visits?

When advised about needing a root canal to provide freedom from the severe toothache you experience in a specific tooth, you will likely want to have all information about the procedure and the time it will take to relieve the discomfort you encounter. In addition, you may want to know about the costs of the treatment, your recovery, and how to manage pain after undergoing painful therapy to remove an infection within your tooth. Dentists are aware of the questions patients will ask and will provide answers to every question they have. They will gladly offer information about a root canal needing at least two visits to clean your tooth and prevent reinfection thoroughly. Two visits to the dentist to eradicate the infection in your tooth should not sound scary because the therapy helps preserve your natural tooth from extraction besides providing the relief you seek from the discomfort. If you want to understand why the dentist requires two separate appointments to accomplish one treatment, kindly continue reading for more information.

Root Canals Explained

A root canal becomes necessary when damage to your tooth has penetrated the enamel to infect and inflame the dental pulp and the tooth's internal nerve. The deterioration in your tooth will make you experience temperature sensitivity and severe pain when you apply pressure to the tooth. However, there are other reasons why dentists recommend two separate appointments. Likewise, there are other reasons for the dentist to suggest a second visit to complete one root canal.

Reasons for Separate Appointments

When starting endodontic treatment, the dentist near me will administer local anesthesia in your mouth near the affected tooth to ensure it is entirely numb. The dentist will aim to keep you calm and comfortable during a procedure that requires drilling your tooth, removing the decay, entering the tooth's canal, and removing the nerve before cleaning and disinfecting the surgical site. In addition, the dentist must fill the tooth with a biocompatible rubber-like material, gutta-percha, to prevent reinfection in it, besides placing a temporary filling in the crown of your tooth where the dentist drilled it to expose the infection. Completing the entire procedure in one visit is challenging because dentists do not intend to leave any infected material in the tooth to cause additional discomfort. During your second appointment with root canals in Pomona, CA, the dentist will remove the temporary filling in the tooth's crown to replace it with a permanent filling. They will also insert a post inside the tooth to preserve its integrity if required and take x-rays for post-operative documentation to ensure they have successfully completed the root canal. Root canals may occasionally need a second appointment for the below-mentioned reasons.

• Obstructions within the canal prevent the dentist from getting to its end.
• Hardened canals.
• If your tooth is infected, it requires more time to eradicate the infection. In such cases, dentists place antibiotics in the tooth to promote healing and clear the infection before resuming the treatment after eliminating the problem.
• Occasionally if you need treatment on a molar with extra canals, the dentist must dedicate more time to the treatment.

Will You Need a Dental Crown?

If your teeth need fortification to protect them, the dentist will recommend encasing the tooth with a dental crown because root canals render a tooth fragile making it susceptible to breakage and fracture. Dentists have a solution to the problem because they recommend an excellent protective measure to safeguard your natural tooth by getting it covered by a dental crown. After undergoing severe therapy to eradicate an infection inside your tooth to prevent an extraction, you find it beneficial to adhere to the dentist's advice and get the tooth fortified with a dental crown that requires reshaping of your tooth, wearing a temporary crown, and revisiting the dentist for another appointment in about three weeks when they provide you with a customized crown matching the color and shape of your remaining teeth. Permanent crowns are customized from high-quality dental-grade porcelain and bonded over the treated tooth to restore strength, functionality, and appearance. If you maintain appropriate dental hygiene practices and care for the tooth, as suggested by the Pomona specialist, you can continue using the tooth for many years without experiencing temperature sensitivity or the excruciating pain you endured before receiving a root canal. Most root canals are performed on the molars and pre-molars with multiple canals inside them, making two visits to the dentist essential to eradicate the infection thoroughly. However, if you need a root canal on an anterior tooth, dentists can complete the therapy in one appointment because the front teeth have merely one canal. Therefore whether the dentist suggests one visit or two, the recommendation is to provide you freedom from the pain and discomfort and preserve your natural tooth as best as possible. Pomona Dental Practice: Yvonne Shu DDS performs numerous root canals on patients in one or two visits to their office, depending on which tooth needs the treatment. If you need a root canal on a molar, there is no reason to express fear because the dentist suggests thoroughly cleaning your tooth.