ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

Root canal treatment is a procedure wherein the dental surgeon removes the tooth's pulp which is a tissue similar to a small thread in the center of the tooth. The surgeon then cleans the remaining space gives it a shape and fills it after he removes the damaged, diseased or the dead pulp. This procedure seals off the root canal. Earlier, the dentists used to remove the entire teeth with injured or diseased pulp. However, today, with advanced technology, this procedure saves several teeth that would otherwise be lost. There are many reasons that lead to the teeth getting damaged or injured and the most common out of them are:

  • Tooth which gets broken
  • A deep cavity
  • Tooth getting injured, for instance a serious knock to the tooth, either recently or in the past

    • Once the pulp gets infected or dead, it must be treated instantly; if left untreated pus can accumulate at the tip of the root in the jawbone thus leading to the formation of an abscess. This abscess can further destroy the bone surrounding the tooth and cause pain.

     
     

    Root Canal Procedure

    This procedure or treatment possesses of many steps that take place over many clinic visits, depending in the situation of your tooth. Give ahead are the steps involved in this procedure:

  • Initially, the surgeon makes an opening through the back of the front tooth or the crown of a molar or pre-molar
  • Then the surgeon removes the diseased pulp after which he cleans, enlarges and shapes the root canals and the pulp chamber as a preparation for filling it
  • If the patient needs to visit for more than one time then a temporary filling is placed in the crown opening to protect the tooth between dental visits.
  • The surgeon then removes the temporary filling and the permanently fills the pulp chamber and the root canal. A tapered and rubbery material known as gutta percha is then inserted into each of the canals and is often sealed into the appropriate place with cement. At times, the dental surgeon also places a metal or plastic rod in the canal for structural support.
  • Finally, the surgeon usually places a crown over the tooth to reinstate its appearance and natural shape. If the tooth is extremely broken down then a post might be required to build it up before a crown is placed.

    • Reasons for Having Root canal Treatment

    Your teeth possess a core of blood vessels and nerves at their centre. This living tissue is known as the pulp and is in a space known as the root canal. The number of root canals differs depending on how far back the tooth is in your mouth. Front teeth often have just one root canal, whereas back teeth might have 3 or more. If your tooth gets injured or has much decay, the pulp could be damaged and the blood vessels might die. This results in the tooth being dead which is most likely to get infected as it's no longer protected by the immune system.