Everything You Need To Know About The Root Canal Treatment

The root canal is the process of treating the cavity in the central portion of the tooth. When the nerve tissues or the pulp of the tooth gets damaged due to extensive decay, it breaks down. This results in the rapid growth of bacteria and disease-causing germs in the pulp chamber. The presence of bacteria and the rotten debris often causes tooth infection. Sometimes, it also results in swelling and spreads to neck, face or head.

Therefore, if you are experiencing excruciating pain, tooth discoloration, swelling, or tenderness in the lymph nodes, there may be a high probability that your tooth is infected and you need a root canal treatment. The sole objective of the treatment is to repair and save an infected tooth that has been severely damaged due to tooth decay.

The root canal treatment procedure is always carried out by experienced dentists. The process primarily involves removing the area of the damaged portion of the tooth, known as the pulp. The infected portion is then cleaned and disinfected before being filled and sealed.

After the completion of the initial procedure, the patients are requested to visit the dentist again after a gap of 2 -3 months. In this setting, the dentists place a crown on the affected tooth to restore its functionality. This is also done for protecting the tooth from the attack of bacteria in the future.

Though the root canal treatment is an extremely beneficial procedure, yet it has some side effects.

Here is a list of some of the common side effects -

• The most common side effect as noticed by the dentists is a dull pain in the affected tooth. However, the good news is that it doesn’t last more than a week. But if the pain persists, it is advisable to visit a dentist for a thorough checkup.


• Formation of the cracks on the surface of the treated tooth is quite common. And the tricky part is, it often goes unnoticed by the dentists. This crack again makes the teeth vulnerable to bacterial infection. The patient must take care to visit a dentist immediately.


• If the crown becomes loose, then quite naturally your tooth will get exposed. The seal will also erode gradually, which will eventually bring back the bacterial infection. A situation like this is a dental emergency and must be fixed immediately.


• If the fillers provided by the dentist were of inferior quality, then the treated tooth will gradually get exposed, thereby leading to bacterial infection.

There are some common post-treatment guidelines that the patients must follow if they have undergone root canal therapy. Some common ones include –

• Taking medicines timely as prescribed by the doctor.


• Brushing and flossing regularly.


• Paying attention to maintaining a regular oral hygiene.


• Avoiding crunchy and hard foods for a few days post-treatment.


• Consulting an experienced dentist in case of excruciating and prolonged pain.

Therefore, if you are a victim of tooth decay and intense toothache, then root canal treatment can definitely provide you relief. If you are from Salt Lake City or Sugar House looking for the best dentist in Salt Lake City, then we at Salt Lake Dental can definitely help you out.

Our experienced dentist Dr. B. Tysen Carter has years of experience in performing the root canal treatment and have been providing relief to patients from tooth decay all over Utah. Give us a call at +1 385-257-9303 or shoot us a mail at saltlakedentaloffice@gmail.com to book an appointment if you want relief from extensive tooth decay. You can also visit us directly at 2120 S 700 E Salt Lake City, UT 84106 to get your decay treated from our experienced dental team.  We assure you that our team will treat you with the utmost care.