Root Canal Alternative Treatment| Holistic Dentistry NJ - Dr. Philip Memoli

WHAT IS A ROOT CANAL?

A root canal-treated (RCT) or root-filled tooth is one in which the dental nerve, commonly called the pulp, is intentionally removed and is filled with an inert material called gutta percha.

The pro of a Root canal is obvious: the painful or dead tooth is treated and extraction is avoided. But we must ask two key questions before starting a root canal.

• Can the tooth be restored?

• Can a predictable RCT be performed, or are there risks for a poor result?

Generally, a dentist first will tap on several teeth and look for signs of an abscess or a radiography. However, a tooth with constant or severe pain does not necessarily indicate the need for a root canal. Nor does an x-ray image.

HOW A ROOT CANAL IS PROPERLY DIAGNOSED?

A Root canal is a treatment, not a diagnosis. Good dentistry, like good medicine, starts with a proper diagnosis of the tooth. In order to confirm a proper diagnosis, we need to establish two facts: the cause and the effect.

Root canal failure, an issue of systemic proportion, remains a little understood and hotly debated subject.

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