Five Reasons Your Root Canal Is Being Done In Stages
If your dentist has told you that a root canal is necessary in order to achieve a healthier smilier, then you may be thinking it's something that can be done with one visit. However, this isn't always the case. While your dentist will likely want to do the root canal in one visit, here are five reasons why yours may be being done in multiple stages instead:
- It's Complex: Specifically, the molars in the back are more complex than other teeth to perform a root canals. This is because there are multiple canals in these teeth. This means that it's more difficult for the root canal to be done because inflammation can prevent the dentist from being able to fill the entire tooth. If this is the case, you will receive a temporary filling that will need to be removed at the next visit before the canal is completely filled.
- You Want Resin Filling: Resin filling may be used, in which case, it might have to wait until later on when inflammation and bleeding is done. This means you need time to heal before the root canal is completed. The reason for this is that resin filling will turn pink if it is used when there is still blood and inflammation.
- You Need It: In some cases, it may be because you need to have it done in sessions. This is usually the case if you need to visit a sedation dentist because of your anxiety when it comes to visiting the dentist. This also may be necessary if the process will cause too much trauma for your body, which is also the case for more sensitive patients.
- You Request It: It's important to keep in mind that root canals are extremely time consuming, so you may want to break it up into different stages. This way, you are not sitting in the chair for extremely long periods of time. This is definitely something to discuss with your dentist and may be necessary because of work or other obligations.
- Some of the Root Needs to be Dissolved: In certain situations, a certain part of the root needs time to dissolve. In this case, your dentist will inject a certain medication that is able to do this so that they can fill the tooth all the way without this root getting in the way.
When you know these five reasons your root canal may need to be done in stages, you can be sure that you understand why your dentist may suggest it. Contact a dental office, like Webster John B DDS, for more help.