Do you know what a root canal is? Or does hearing this makes your knees shake? Endodontic treatment is another term for root canal therapy, and this is the number one procedure that your dentist would love to do as possible. This excellent treatment can help eliminate the pain and even save your tooth. So, if you have a toothache due to dental cavity, visit Glebe Dental’s clinic near Ultimo and check if endodontic treatment is the right procedure for you.
All About Root Canal
A root canal is a portion of a tooth and not a treatment. It is the deep segment of a tooth that consists of the veins, nerve tissue, and various cells, otherwise named the pulp.
A tooth contains a crown and roots. The crown is basically over the gum, while the roots are underneath it. The roots connect the tooth to the jawbone.
Within the crown and the root canal, or simply the root is the pulp. The pulp sustains the tooth and gives moisture to the encompassing material. The nerves inside the pulp sense cold and hot temperatures as pain.
Most people refer to the root canal as a dental procedure that the actual term is endodontic treatment, which indicates inside the tooth. However, a root canal becomes the term commonly used to discuss the treatment.
When Do You Need Root Canal Treatment?
A dentist can perform the root canal treatment when you have an injured, inflamed or infected soft inner piece of a tooth, known as the pulp.
The crown of the tooth can stay intact regardless of whether the pulp is dead. Eliminating harmed or infected pulp is the best approach to save the construction of the tooth.
The following are the common causes of harm to the pulp:
- a chip or crack in the tooth
- several dental treatments on the same tooth
- deep decay because of an ignored cavity
- a hit or injury to the tooth, the pulp can still be damaged whether the injury does not break the tooth
The most widely recognized symptoms of damaged pulp consist of ache in your tooth, and swelling and a feeling of heat in your gums. Your dentist will analyze the excruciating tooth and get X-rays to confirm the diagnosis. Your dentist may recommend you to an endodontist if they consider you need endodontic procedures.
Tooth Pulp Infection
If left untreated, tooth pulp infection can worsen your condition and can lead to other complications. These include:
Spreading the infection
The pulp loses its capacity to fight the spread of the infection when it gets infected. In case bacteria discover their way into the pulp chamber, they will increase. For this reason, it can result in a serious infection or an endodontic abscess when it disseminates into the encompassing bone.
Localized bone loss
The infection may progress around the finishes of the tainted root canal and disintegrate encompassing jaw bone.
Loss of tooth
Once the affected tooth interferes with the individual’s capacity to bite and chew, the dentist might remove this tooth. It can affect the appearance, especially if the tooth is close to the front of the mouth. Tooth replacement with bridges, dentures, or dental implants are expensive and may not be conceivable or tolerated, mainly if progressive bone loss already occurred due to the infection.
Endodontic Procedures
Usually, the dentist will do the root canal treatment in a dental office. When you show up for your appointment, a specialist will accompany you to a treatment room, assist you with getting situated in a seat, and place a bib around your neck to keep your clothes away from stains.
Step 1: Anesthetic
The first step in endodontic procedures is getting anesthesia. The dentist will put a limited quantity of numbing prescription on your gum close to the affected tooth. Whenever it started to act, the dentist will then inject local anesthesia into your gums. You may encounter a sharp squeeze or a burning feeling, yet this will pass rapidly.
You will remain conscious as the procedure continues. However, the anesthetic will protect you from encountering any pain.
Step 2: Extracting the pulp
The next step in root canal treatment will make the dentist cut a small opening in the top of the tooth when your tooth is numb. When you exposed the infected or damaged pulp, the dentist will carefully eliminate it utilizing special devices called files. They will be particularly mindful of wiping out all the canals or pathways in your tooth.
Step 3: Antibiotics
The third step in endodontic procedures will be getting the right prescription for your condition. When the dentist removed the pulp, they may cover the portion with a topical antibiotic to guarantee that the contamination is gone and avoid reinfection. When the dentist thoroughly cleaned and disinfected the root canals, they will fill and conceal the tooth with cement and elastic-like material known as gutta-percha. They also may recommend and prescribe oral antibiotics for your specific condition.
Step 4: Temporary filling
The last step in endodontic procedures is to add a temporary filling on the affected tooth. The dentist will complete the process by filling the little opening in the highest point of the tooth with a delicate, transitory material. This sealant keeps the root canals from being harmed by saliva.
Follow-up After Root Canal Treatment
You may feel sore in your tooth and gums when the numbing drug wears off. Your gums may as well grow. Usually, most dentists will enable you to cure these side effects with an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Contact your dentist in case the discomfort turns out to be extreme or goes on for more than a couple of days.
You have to continue your typical schedule the day after the root canal treatment. It would be a great help to avoid eating with the harmed tooth until the dentist fills it or placed a crown over the top.
You will visit your regular dentist inside a couple of days of the endodontic treatment. They will get X-rays to ensure that any disease is no more. They will additionally replace the impermanent filling with a permanent one.
In case you like, the dentist may put an everlasting crown on the tooth. These devices are false teeth that the dentist can produce using gold or porcelain. The advantage a crown is its accurate appearance.
It may offer you several weeks to become accustomed to how the tooth feels after the procedure. This event is ordinary and no reason to worry.
Risks of Endodontic Treatment
Most dentists perform the endodontic treatment to keep your tooth. However, at times, the harm is too profound, or the enamel is too delicate to even think about withstanding the procedure. These elements can lead to loss of the tooth.
Another risk is building up an infection at the root of the tooth if a portion of the contaminated material remains behind or in case the antibiotics are not compelling.
If you are apprehensive about endodontic treatment, you can call your dentist about tooth extraction instead. This procedure often includes placing a bridge, partial denture, or implant in place of the injured tooth.
Moreover, most individuals who undergo endodontic procedures can appreciate the positive outcomes for the rest of their lives. Still, proper dental and oral hygiene will help prolong the condition of your teeth as well as your restored tooth.
