Root Canal Therapy in Cheshire

Infections and major damage to your teeth can cause considerable pain. Sometimes a root canal is the best option to relieve your pain and treat the problem so that we can save your tooth. We know that many of our patients feel scared or apprehensive when they hear that a root canal is needed, but we want to assure you that root canals are not the difficult and painful procedure that they have been made out to be. Sometimes, understanding the procedure better and knowing why it's helpful can help to ease fears. 

The easiest way to understand what a root canal is and when root canal therapy is required is to first understand a bit about the anatomy and structure of a tooth. There are essentially three layers of the tooth:

• The white outer layer of enamel
• A layer of dentin
• The pulp of the tooth

The pulp of the tooth, or nerve, is made up of nerve tissue, blood vessels, and connective tissues. A root canal is needed when this pulpal tissue has become irreversibly irritated or infected. While there are many causes of an irreversibly irritated or infected nerve, the most common cause is decay, or a cavity that has progressed through the enamel and dentin and into the nerve of the tooth.

Many people ask us how a tooth can survive if we remove the blood supply and nerve from the tooth, and this is a great question! The dental pulp is most active and necessary during tooth development. After the tooth has fully formed, the tooth is supported by the surrounding bone and gingival (gum) tissues, and the dental pulp is no longer necessary for continued survival of the tooth. This is why root canal therapy, in which the infected dental pulp is removed and replaced with a filling material, is so successful.

Here at Cheshire Dental Associates, we pride ourselves on our ability to perform painless root canals at the highest level of care.

Root canals typically require two visits; however, sometimes we can complete the procedure in just one visit. Cheshire dentist Dr. Fletcher received training in root canal therapy from a founding father of modern endodontics (the branch of dentistry that concerns itself with root canals), Dr. Schiller, while at Boston University. Dr. Fletcher received an additional year of advanced training in general dentistry, including root canal therapy, at a hospital-based residency program.

Root Canal Therapy Relieves Pain

Dental pain is the sign that something is wrong and should never be ignored. Whether you are an existing patient or new to our Cheshire dental office, if you are experiencing dental pain, please do not hesitate to contact us so that we may help you!