Root Canal Treatment

ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

A root canal treatment, also known as endodontic therapy, is a dental procedure designed to save a severely decayed or infected tooth. When the tooth is infected or decayed, it can spread into the center of the tooth (dental pulp). All of the sensitive areas of the tooth are contained here. When this area becomes infected it can be extremely painful, requiring immediate treatment.

REASONS FOR ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

⦁ Tooth decay
⦁ Tooth fracture
⦁ Repeated dental procedures on the tooth
⦁ An injury to a tooth may cause pulp damage, even if the tooth has no visible chips or fractures.

SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS THAT A ROOT CANAL IS NEEDED

When a root canal treatment is needed, you will experience certain signs or symptoms, some of these include:

⦁ Acute and prolonged dental pain
⦁ Tenderness when chewing or biting
⦁ Pain when touched
⦁ Swelling that may spread to areas of the face, neck or head.
⦁ Dental discoloration
⦁ The presence of pus causing bad taste and breath
⦁ Swollen lymph nodes 1

ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE

⦁ The dentist will apply local anesthesia in the tooth and surrounding tissue. Thanks to anesthesia the root canal procedure will be painless and shouldn’t be too uncomfortable for the patient.
⦁ A dental rubber dam will be placed in order to isolate the infected tooth from the rest of the mouth.
⦁ A small opening is drilled in the teeth, allowing access to the pulp chamber.
⦁ The diseased tissue is removed from the tooth with special instruments, and the dentist will disinfect the root canal using antimicrobial solutions.
⦁ The root canals are then shaped, in order to be filled.
⦁ Root canals are filled with a material called gutta-percha which gets placed into the prepared canals.
⦁ A temporary or permanent filling material will then be placed to seal the access hole that was made for the root canal procedure. After the procedure, your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic to treat or prevent the infection.
⦁ Your tooth will need a permanent restoration, filling or crown. This will completely seal the endodontic treatment and protect the tooth from fracture.

HOW CAN I PREVENT HAVING A ROOT CANAL TREATMENT?

⦁ Proper dental hygiene
⦁ Avoid hard or chewy foods
⦁ Wear an occlusal splint or night guard
⦁ Avoid sugary foods
⦁ Visit the dentist regularly for routine dental checkups and professional teeth cleaning. Tooth decay that patients ignore can often develop into an infected root canal.

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