Treatments

Root canal treatment also known as endodontic therapy is these days one of the most commonly performed dental procedures. While a tooth can get saved by this procedure it will also avoid the necessity of dental implant or bridge treatment. Although this procedure are dreaded by most people it is of vital importance that dental decay is treated the right way at the right time to stop it from spreading further into the tooth. If this happen the pulp and root canals that are made up of nerves and blood vessels will get infection and inflammation.

Root canal procedure

A root canal treatment will usually be completed in one or two visits depending on the severity of the infection. If a temporary filling is needed just be careful with what you eat till the permanent one is done.

• After a thorough examination and x-ray’s the dentist will decide if root canal treatment will be the best treatment option for your tooth.
• To continue with the treatment you will be given a local anaesthetic to numb your tooth before the dentist will start to drill through the crown of the tooth to get access to the pulp and roots.
• The inflamed and infected pulp will be removed and the inside of the root canals will be carefully cleaned and shaped.
• Once clean a rubber like material (Gutta-percha) will be used to fill the inside of the canals.
• Depending on the tooth structure the decision will be made to either do a filling or crown to protect the tooth and give it proper function.

You might have some sensitivity after treatment which is normal especially if there was pain and infection before the procedure. The tooth may continue to feel slightly different from your other teeth and sometimes take a while to settle. However, if you experience severe pain for a few days you must call the dentist.

Signs that might indicate root treatment

• Mild to severe pain
• Prolonged sensitivity to heat and cold
• Discoloration of the tooth
• Swelling of surrounding tissue
• Drainage and tenderness in lymph nodes, gum tissue and nearby bone
• Sometimes, however, there might be no symptoms and therefore your regular dental check-up will be important in the detection of early decay or other abnormalities.

Additional causes:

• Deep untreated decay
• Repeated dental procedures on the same tooth
• Crack or chip in the tooth or filling
• Injury to the tooth like a hard knock

If all of this is left untreated the pulp tissue will die due to the infection that can cause severe pain and swelling. An Abscess will form if the above spreads to the bone and surrounding soft tissue.

Contra indications for root canal treatment

Although most teeth can be treated endodontically there might occasionally be circumstances that would make it not possible to have the treatment like:

• When a root canal is not accessible.
• The root is severely fractured.
• There is not adequate bone support for the tooth.
• The crown of the tooth cannot be restored by either filling or crown.

You might have some sensitivity after treatment which is normal especially if there was pain and infection before the procedure. The tooth may continue to feel slightly different from your other teeth and sometimes take a while to settle. However, if you experience severe pain for a few days you must call the dentist.

Additional treatment

Yes, it is possible to have more treatment on the same tooth if:

• There was trauma to the tooth.
• Neglected deep decay.
• Loose, cracked or broken fillings can cause new infection.
• There might be an additional very narrow or curved canal that was not treated previously.