Root Canal Explained

Travis Stork: So, I spend a lot of hours in the dental chair and very few for root canal because the first one I had many years ago after I got my two front teeth knocked out it was very painful. Fred Monempour: Yeah, well root canals have a stigma with them especially because of the anesthetic that used to be used we've come a long way and we have what we call now endodontist that are root canal specialist that's all we do is root canals. Travis Stork: And I told you when you are doing it from here and out I was going to say every one at home if you are going to get a root canal I highly recommend getting it done by an endodontist because it's what you do and that's it. Fred Monempour: That's all we do, that's it and no cosmetics just root canals. Travis Stork: So everyone wants to know what is a root canal and we have an animation I want you to explain to everyone because a root canal, go ahead and talk us to this. Fred Monempour: So a root canal is usually needed when there is a decay or infection inside the roots. The way we do it is we drill through the tooth and we get down into the roots. The animation will show that, so here is the nerve inside the tooth that's become infected that's why we do root canals. We will go in and we will use files to clean out the infection within the roots inside where the nerves used to be. Then we pack it in with filling material that's called gutta percha, basically the same thing as latex, the plastic material, then we plug up the top and either leave the filling or put a crown across latex filling over that. Travis Stork: And stay over there because we have I think an x-ray before and after of what was going on with my own root canal because I would know what it was like. Fred Monempour: Here Travis's root canal. These are his two front teeth, one is had a crown on it one doesn't and you see the root canal which is the gutta percha that I was explaining to you the filling material it doesn't go all the way down to the very tip of the root, this is where the root ends this is where the root canal filling it. So they haven't cleaned about 2 millimeters here, 2 millimeters to an endodontist is equivalent to two football fields every millimeter counts so if you don't clean all the way to the very tip you will have the root canal still. Travis Stork: This is why it is giving in it a chronic infection in there. Fred Monempour: Infection, exactly. Travis Stork: And do we have an after x-ray I am not sure if we do. Fred Monempour: If we do I will show you guys and you could see here is the one root canal goes right down to the very tip, here is the other one goes right down to the very tip. We have made a space here for a new pole to go in so that your crown can sit on top of that. Travis Stork: Well, thank you for making it so painless for me and one of the things I have to say again over all I didn't feel any pain and your teeth are numb before they do that I want to thank again Dr. Bill Dorfman and he is the one I can a thank for these two new crowns and also you Dr. Monempour for all your help.