Endodontic Treatment

Endodontic Treatment

Root Canal Treatment:

Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is a dental procedure for eliminating infection from the center of a tooth. It can also protect the tooth from future infections. It is carried out in the pulp of the tooth, which is the root canal.

Root canal treatment is pain-free and can preserve a tooth that might otherwise have to be extracted completely.

The significance of root canal treatment:
The infection at the root canal is caused by bacteria that normally live in the oral cavity and invade the tooth.

This can happen after:

1. Tooth decay.
2. Leaky fillings.
3. Damage to teeth as a result of trauma, such as a fall.

Tooth structure and anatomy:
A single tooth is made up of two main parts. The crown is the top part of the tooth that’s visible in the oral cavity.

The root extends into the bone of the jaw, anchoring the tooth in position.

Teeth also consist of:

Enamel: The hard outer coating of the tooth.
Dentine: A softer substance that supports the enamel layer and forms most of the tooth structure.
Cementum: A hard substance that coats the outer root’s surface.
Dental pulp: The soft tissue at the center of the tooth, located inside the root canal.

The steps of a root canal treatment:

Root canal treatment is carried out in three steps, and it takes between one and three sessions to complete.

1. Cleaning the root canal:
First, the dentist removes everything that is inside the root canal.

With the patient under local anesthesia to ensure a painless procedure, the dentist makes a small access hole on the surface of the tooth and then removes the infected and dead pulp tissue using very small instruments called files.

2. Filling the root canal:
Next, the dentist cleans, shapes, and disinfects the hollow area (the root canals), using tiny files and irrigation solutions. Then, the tooth gets filled with a rubber-like material, using an adhesive cement to seal the canals completely.

After root canal treatment, the tooth becomes dead. The patient will no longer feel any pain in that tooth because the nerve tissue has been removed, and the infection has been eliminated.

3. Adding a crown or filling:
Nevertheless, the tooth will now be more fragile than it was before. A tooth with no pulp tissue must receive its nourishment from the ligament that attaches the tooth to the bone. This supply is adequate, but in time, the tooth will become more brittle, so a crown or filling offers protection.

Until the crown or filling is complete, the patient should not chew or bite on the treated tooth. Once a crown or filling is placed, the patient can use the tooth just as normal as before.

Treatment often requires only one appointment, but if there are curved canals, multi-canals, or extensive infections, this procedure could take one or two additional appointments.

Schedule your dental visit today!