What is a Dental Dam? A Discount Dental Plan Could Help With Root CanalsBy Susan Braden 
A discount dental plan could help lighten the financial burden of root canals, and advanced technology including anesthetics can make them less painful. Nevertheless, these procedures may still terrify some patients due a common precautionary measure. A dental dam is a thin sheet of natural or synthetic latex laid across the open mouth during a root canal as a safety precaution. It keeps decayed matter, bits of tooth pulp and chemicals from falling into the mouth and down the throat. A dentist pushes the affected tooth through a tiny, tight hole in the center of the dam, clamping the dam’s edges around the base of the tooth. The tooth is exposed, but the rest of the mouth remains covered. This foreign object placed in the mouth may cause some patients to feel claustrophobic. Why Do I Need a Root Canal?If your dentist says you need this procedure, then one of your teeth is suffering from extensive decay. If left untreated, this decay can infect your inner tooth pulp and nerves. When the pulp is thus rotted, this procedure must be performed to protect you from further infection. While a cheap dentist may offer to clean out your decayed tooth canal(s), you may want to visit an endodontist, who will specialize in the undertaking. Root Canal ProcessThis procedure has several major stages: 1. Intial X-ray of affected area. 2. Numbing the affected area. 3. Insertion of a dental dam. 4. Drilling through the tooth into its decayed pulp. 5. Scraping away the inside of the tooth to clear out toxins, bacteria, infected nerve tissue and debris, while washing and disinfecting the area with various chemicals. 6. Final X-ray to ensure tooth canal(s) is clear of infection. 7. Closing the resulting hole with follow-up treatment such as a filling or crown. How a Dam HelpsThe goal of a root canal is to clean bacteria and infection out of the tooth. Saliva carries bacteria, so keeping the tooth dry with a dam helps prevent further contamination of the affected area. Additionally, this protective measure keeps harmful solutions and infected matter from falling down the throat or contaminating other teeth. CostIf the cost of a root canal still prevents you from calling your dentist and making an appointment, a discount dental plan could ease your concern. Several plans take a percentage off the cost of this procedure. Standard dams are usually included in the cost, so you can feel protected with no additional anxiety. Personal ChoiceA dentist or endodontist cannot force you to use a rubber dam. Your tooth may be in such poor shape that a dam would crumble the scant structure that remains. Furthermore, if you have a breathing disorder, you may want to use an alternate method of protection. While some patients simply request not to use the dam, most patients may find, however, that they have no trouble breathing and that it fits comfortably. The idea of a root canal might terrify some patients, and pain or expense may not be the only reasons. However, this protection is a routine part of endodontic treatment, and it can be made more accessible with a discount dental plan. While a latex dam can make a root canal more comfortable for both you and your oral health professional, using it is ultimately your decision. |
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