What is Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal treatment is the removal of the tooth’s pulp, a small, thread-like nerve tissue in the centre of the tooth. Once the damaged, diseased or dead pulp is removed, the remaining space is cleaned, shaped and filled. This procedure seals off the root canal. In the past, teeth with diseased or injured pulps were removed. Today, root canal treatment saves many teeth that would otherwise be lost.
What Makes a Root Canal Necessary?
The following are the most common factors contributing to a need for root canal treatment:
• Traumas, such as a physical blow to a tooth
• Physical irritation caused by a deep decay or a very large filling
• Severe gum disease
• Lack of tooth structure caused by grinding, wear or toothbrush abrasion
Regardless of the initial cause, the tooth pulp becomes irritated and swollen. This pressure buildup can cause pain, sometimes accompanied by swelling of the face. Sometimes the deterioration of the pulp happens so gradually that little pain is felt. Regardless of the amount of pain felt, if there is sign of a diseased pulp, the nerve tissue must be removed. If left for toot long, the bone surrounding the tooth may become infected and abscessed, which may lead to the destruction of the bone surrounding the tooth.
What Happens During Treatment?
If we determine through x-rays and a clinical examination that root canal treatment is necessary, we will schedule a series of appointments for you. It is important that you keep these appointments to prevent delays in treatment and healing which can affect the outcome. Medicaments may be placed into the tooth to calm the nerve and reduce internal pressure. Antibiotics may be prescribed to hasten healing and reduce swelling
An anaesthetic is used to numb the tooth and surrounding area. The tooth is isolated with a rubber dam, which confines the treatment area and protects the mouth from bacteria and chemical agents. An opening is made through the crown of the tooth into the pulp.
The necrotic pulp is removed down to the apex of the tooth. The root canal area inside your tooth is cleaned, enlarged and shaped. The dental laser to remove debris and bacteria from inside the tooth.
Then, depending on your individual case, the root canal and pulp chamber may be permanently filled and sealed at this appointment. In some cases, we place a temporary medication in the tooth to control bacterial growth and reduce infection and place a temporary filling in the opening of the tooth until the next visit.
At the next appointment, we ensure that all of the infected pulp is removed and that the wails inside the canal are smooth and correctly shaped.
The root canal and pulp chamber are permanently filled and sealed and the tooth is restored to chewing function.
What Care Follows the Treatment?
Once the root canal treatment has been completed, you should consider the following:
Dental crown – a non-vital (endodontically treated) tooth is more brittle than a vital one and is more susceptible to fracture.
Therefore, in most cases, we recommend that your root canal tooth be crowned (capped) following treatment.
You may notice that your endodontically treated tooth (especially a front tooth) has undergone a change in color. Though this discoloration is of no medical concern, you may be interested in having the teeth whitened. Be sure to ask us about tooth whitening if we do not decide to place a crown on the tooth.
How Long Will the Restored Tooth Last?
Your treated and restored tooth/teeth can last a lifetime with proper care. Because tooth decay can still occur in treated teeth, good oral hygiene and regular dental exams are necessary to prevent further problems.