Root canal treatment has become a trusted resource for dentists when saving a tooth. Sometimes, the tooth’s soft core (the dental pulp), which is located inside the tooth, becomes inflamed or infected. This may be due to the formation of deep cavities, various dental procedures performed on the tooth in question, fractures or small detachments in the tooth, or an impact on the tooth.
Years ago, teeth whose dental pulp suffered from a disease or injury were extracted. Currently, the dentist uses root canal treatment to identify the tooth pulp condition’s origin and treat it.
Inside the tooth
Inside the hard enamel of your tooth is a nerve located within an area called the pulp. The pulp is a soft area of connective tissues and blood vessels. The nerve it is in the center of the tooth allows feeling pain when we have cavities, a broken tooth, or sensitivity to food or drink.
When a root canal is needed, the dentist must enter and remove the nerve. He then cleans the tooth and reseals it with a resin restoration, crown, or another method to fix it.
Why must the pulp and nerve be removed?
The tooth inside only works to send transmissions of heat, cold, or pain to your brain. The pulp and nerve are crucial for the health and vitality of the tooth. But when they are removed, the tooth still can continue to function normally again even when there are not sensitivity transmissions.
The reason for removing them is to prevent infection and relieve pain. If the nerve or pulp is damaged, bacteria can begin to build up in the pulp. This can lead to a painful infection or an abscess in the tooth.
So if the nerve is the cause of tooth pain, the pulp must also be removed to avoid infection that can spread to other areas of the face and cause pain, root drainage problems, or bone loss in the jaw.
Root canal treatments, step by step
The endodontist is the dentist who specializes in problems of the pulp and the nerve of the teeth. Often, the professionals will do the root canal treatment (especially the more complex ones). However, your regular dentist can perform the procedure based on the specific case and how comfortable you are with your tooth.
Root canals are not very different from common arrangements. This is what happens step by step.
- 1st. Step: X-ray. Your dentist or endodontist will evaluate the bone for infection and the size and shape of the root canal in the tooth.
- 2nd. Step: Anesthesia and preparation. The endodontist will numb your mouth, put a latex in your mouth to keep it dry, and drill the tooth to create access. This is very similar to the procedure for any dental fix.
- 3rd. Step: Pulp and nerve removal. The endodontist will remove the pulp and nerve from the tooth, and in the process, will remove any bacteria that the tooth may have had. From now on, the tooth will not cause any more pain.
- 4th. Step: Cleaning. The endodontist will clean the tooth using files of various sizes, gently scraping and cleaning the inner walls of the root. The tooth is then rinsed with water or sodium hypochlorite for final cleaning. The goal is to ensure that no bacteria or other tissue remains to ensure cleanliness and prevent infection.
- 5th. Step: Close. Once it is clean, the tooth must be covered, but times vary. Our orthodontist will often apply medication to the tooth, and it will be necessary to wait about a week before covering the tooth permanently, giving time for any possible infection to be cleaned. In this case, a temporary amalgam or crown is placed on the tooth to keep it clean until the final amalgam is placed.
- 6th. Step: Tooth fixation. If the decay or damage is extensive, instead of amalgam, a crown or other type of arrangement will be placed. These kinds of treatments will help restore the function of the tooth and prevent it from breaking. Only your endodontist can determine what additional steps must be taken to bring the tooth back into operation.
If there is mild discomfort after treatment, you can take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) to help relieve the tissue’s natural swelling that may remain due to the infection or the treatment itself. However, most people will resume their normal activities the next day.
WE AT AESTHETIC SMILES DENTAL CLINIC IN BANDRA SPECIALISE IN PAINLESS SINGLE SITTING ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Fear? Not at all!
The not-so-scary truth is that root canals relieve more than they cause pain, so you don’t have to fear if your dentist prescribes one for you. Talk to your Dentist if you have severe tooth pain symptoms when biting or pressing, prolonged tooth sensitivity, swollen and sore gums, or discoloration of teeth. These are all signs that you may need a root canal.
But also remember that sometimes there are no symptoms. Please get in the routine of making regular cleaning visits to catch problems before they become painful and require a root canal.
