Why Your Houston Dentist May Recommend a Root Canal
The nerve in a tooth
Root canals are tiny passageways that branch off from beneath the top of the tooth, coursing their way vertically downward, until they reach the tip of the root.
All teeth have between one and four root canals.
Many tooth problems involve infections that spread to the pulp, which is the inner chamber of the tooth containing blood vessels, nerves and other tissues. When the infection becomes worse, it can begin affecting the roots. A traumatic injury to a tooth can also compromise the pulp, leading to similar problems.
A diseased inner tooth brings a host of problems; pain and sensitivity are some of the first indications of a problem; but inside, a spreading infection can cause small pockets of pus to develop, leading to an abscess.Root canal therapy is a remarkable treatment with a very high rate of success, and involves removing the diseased tissue, halting the spread of infection and restoring the healthy portion of the tooth. In fact, root canal therapy is designed to save a problem tooth; before the procedure was developed and gained acceptance, the only alternative for treating a diseased tooth was extraction.
The Root Canal Procedure
Root canal therapy usually entails one to three visits. During the first visit, a small hole is drilled through the top of the tooth and into the inner chamber.
Diseased tissue is removed, the inner chamber cleansed and disinfected, and the tiny canals reshaped. The cleansed chamber and canals are filled with an elastic material and medication designed to prevent infection. If necessary, the drilled hole is temporarily filled until a permanent seal is made with a crown.
Most patients who have root canal experience little or no discomfort or pain, and enjoy a restored tooth that can last almost as long as its healthy original.
Understanding Dental Crowns Houston TX
Ceramic crowns are caps that entirely cover teeth and are made of 100% porcelain or ceramic. You may have noticed people with dark lines on their teeth where their teeth meet their gum lines—this is from crowns that are metal on the inside with just a thin layer of porcelain on the outside to cover the teeth. This is why all-porcelain or all-ceramic crowns were created—because they are as close to natural as possible. Regardless, the materials in a crown greatly effect their cost and quality. It is something well worth investigating.
Here is a list of some of the materials ceramic crowns can be made of:
·Feldspathic: This porcelain is a favorite of most cosmetic dentists because it looks beautiful.
· Cerec: Like Procera, Cerec is also made from a highly-durable, milled ceramic substance. Cerec is unique because it is milled by a computer right at your dentists office rather than out in an external lab somewhere. If you are not interested in waiting or want to cut the amount of visits to the dentist you’ll make to get your crown, ask about Cerec. However, many cosmetic dentists do not like Cerec though because the color can not be as tailored and customized as other ceramic crowns.
· Empress: This ceramic-like material is really more accurately categorized as a glass. It is similar to the Feldspathic material, but Empress crowns are baked rather than milled and their color is cooked onto the outside. Empress rivals Feldspathic as the favorite material of cosmetic dentists. Newer versions of this material that are stronger
· Procera: On the inside, this crown contains milled ceramic, but on the outside it is made of a more standard ceramic. Procera is very durable, which is one of its many advantages. Because the center is white, it is more natural looking than crowns with metal centers, but less natural than 100% translucent ceramic crowns. It is also easy for dentists to work with Procera because it can be held in place with regular crown cement without bonding.
· Lava: Lava is like Procera but the inner core is a more translucent zirconia. The color of both the inner zirconia and the outer ceramic can be controlled in the “cooking” process to prepare the crown. Lava can also be attached with easy-to-use crown cement.
· InCeram: This is a dense and durable aluminous porcelain. It looks great and is actually more opaque than the Feldspathic material. Another benefit of InCeram is that like Procera and Lava, it can be held in place with crown cement instead of requiring bonding. An older material we no longer use at midtown dentistry.
For more information on the type of ceramic crown materials used at Midtown Dentistry, give us a call.
