Laying a Strong Foundation!
Root Canal
What is Root Canal Treatment?
Root Canal is a treatment performed to save badly decayed or infected teeth instead of extracting it, it is also known as Endodontic treatment.
Root canal is the space within the root of the tooth that consists of the pulp tissue.
If case of infection or dental caries, the infected pulp is removed from the pulp chamber along with other debris present within the root canal and the pulp space is filled with a inert material ,thereby sealing it. This procedure is known as root canal treatment.
Why would I need an endodontic procedure?
Indications of Root Canal Treatment are:
- Untreated Tooth decay: In a tooth with a deep cavity involving the Pulp(nerve structure)
- Severe Gum Disease: In conjunction to gum treatment, in order to save loose teeth that may have got infected.
- Injury/Trauma: This may lead to fracture and discoloration of the teeth
- Severe Sensitivity: In cases of extreme pain on reacting to consumption of hot and cold beverages, which may also be seen in worn out teeth.
- Elective Root Canal: In conjunction with Smile Makeover, if the Position and angulations of the teeth is affecting the proposed Smile design.
What are the signs of needing endodontic treatment?
Signs to look for include
- pain
- tenderness to touch and chewing
- swelling and drainage
- Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms.
- prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold
- discoloration of the tooth
- tenderness in the lymph nodes as well as nearby bone and gingival tissues.
How does endodontic treatment save the tooth?
The inflamed or infected pulp is removed carefully, the canal is cleaned and shaped, then filled with an inert material to seal the space. Afterwards, a crown or other restoration will be placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. After restoration, the tooth continues to function like any other tooth.
Endodontic Procedure
Endodontic treatment can often be performed in one or two visits and involves the following steps:
Step 1
Examination and x-rays of the tooth are taken after which local anesthetic is administered.
Step 2
Opening is made in the crown portion of the tooth. Very small instruments are used to clean the pulp from the pulp chamber and root canals and to shape the space for filling.
Step 3
After the space is cleaned and shaped, the root canals are filled with a biocompatible material, usually a rubber-like material called "gutta-percha." The gutta-percha is placed with an adhesive cement to ensure complete sealing of the root canals. In most cases, a temporary filling is placed to close the opening. The temporary filling will be removed before the tooth is restored.
Step 4
You must return to clinic to have a crown or other restoration placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function.
If the tooth lacks sufficient structure to hold the restoration in place, post may place inside the tooth. You can ask for more details about the specific restoration planned for your tooth.
Can all teeth be treated endodontically?
Most teeth can be treated. Occasionally, a tooth can't be saved because the root canals are not accessible, the root is severely fractured, the tooth doesn't have adequate bone support, or the tooth cannot be restored. However, advances in endodontics are making it possible to save teeth that even a few years ago would have been lost. When endodontic treatment is not effective, endodontic surgery may be able to save the tooth.
Endodontic post operative care
- Please do not eat until the numbness wears out in a few hours if the anesthesia was given.
- The temporary filling will set in an hour. Please be careful not to disturb the setting of the temporary restoration.
- Expect soreness around the tooth and gum for a few days.
- Take the prescribed medications by the clock to ensure their effectiveness.
- Please avoid using the root canal treated tooth for chewing hard food since doing so may cause discomfort or fracture. You must be careful eating with the tooth that received treatment until we complete with the final restoration.
- Please refrain from applying unnecessary pressure or touch to the treated tooth with the tongue, finger or any object. This may cause prolonged sensitivity on the treated tooth.
- You may brush the treated tooth normally but should not floss if the temporary filling was placed in the space between teeth.
- Please call our at our clinic if you continue to experience the discomfort more than a few days after the treatment.
Care After the Final Visit of Root Canal Treatment
- Having the tooth restored with crown or final filling will extend the success of the root canal treatment that you received by preventing bacterial leakage and fracture. Failure to place the final restoration is the leading cause of the tooth loss after root canal treatment.
- After the final restoration in place, you will need to take care of the tooth with thorough daily brushing and flossing and regular dental check up/cleaning.
- Root canal treatment saves root(s) by eliminating the inflammation or infection from the root canal space. It is natural to feel the presence of the tooth to tapping or touch after root canal treatment. Occasionally, the root canal treated tooth may feel slightly different from teeth that did not have root canal treatment.
- We provide a follow up visit to monitor the outcome of your root canal treatment in a year to check the healing.
Client Advantages at Dr.Potdar’s Clinic "Your comfort is our reward"
- Root Canal is a relatively painless procedure performed by experienced clinicians under aseptic conditions.
- The treatment may take one or a couple of appointments to complete depending upon the extent of infection in the tooth.
- In selective cases, we also perform single sitting root canals which are painless and time saving.
- With the help of advanced techniques practiced in our Clinic, this treatment is quicker, comfortable to the patients and more accurate as compared to the traditional techniques.
- Depending Upon the severity of the decay the tooth may need to be reinforced and strengthen with the help of a post. This could be a metal post or a fibre reinforced post as the case dictates.
- Root canal teeth are crowned in order to restore the broken teeth back to function and improve its affecting.