Root canal treatment = The tooth saver?

Anatomy or sturcture of a tooth

Endo” is the Greek word for “inside” and “odont” is Greek for “tooth.” Endodontic treatment treats the inside of the tooth.

At the center of a tooth is a hollow area that houses of soft tissue, known as pulp or nerve. This hollow area contains a relatively wide space in the coronal portion of the tooth called the pulp chamber. This chamber is connected to the tip of the root via narrow canal(s); hence, the term "root canal."

A tooth's nerve and pulp can become irritated, and infected because of deep decay, large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face. If the infected or dead pulp untreated, pus can build up at the root tip in the jawbone, forming an abscess which can destroy the bone surrounding the tooth and cause unbearable pain.

 

What is a Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is the process removal of the tooth pulp, a small, thread-like tissue in the center of the tooth. Once the damaged, diseased or dead pulp is removed, the remaining space is cleaned, shaped and filled. The root canal is sealed off.

What Are the Signs That a Root Canal Treatment Is Needed?

 You may need a root canal treatment if,

• Severe toothache pain while chewing
• Prolonged sensitivity/pain to heat or cold  

      temparature

• Discoloration/yellowish of the           

          tooth                       

• Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums
• A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums
• Sometimes no symptoms are present

What are the procedures of root canal treatment?

From left to right: images of procedure of root canal treatment

• Decay is removed to expose the nerve tissues and access into the canal.
• The pulpal tissue is removed with special files
• The canals are cleaned, shaped to allow filling of the root canal system

• The canals are filled and restored with temporary filling

 

Video of root canal treatment:

Will the tooth need any special care or additional treatment after endodontic treatment?

You should not chew or bite on the treated tooth until you have had it restored by your dentist. The unrestored tooth is susceptible to fracture, so you should see your dentist for a full restoration as soon as possible. 

A post is needed if tooth structure not sufficient to support the crown

A crown or other restoration placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function.                                                          

Full restoration of root treated tooth

Otherwise, you need only practice good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and regular checkups and cleanings.

Is a root canal treatment painful?

Pain, the fear of pain is the main reason of us delay our visit to the dentist for dental check up. Finally end up suffering much more pain than those visiting their dentist early for proper treatment.

Endodontic treatment can relieve the toothaches caused by pulp inflammation or infection. With modern techniques and anesthetics, most patients report that they are comfortable during the procedure. 

However, the tooth may feel sensitive for the first few days following the completion of a root canal due to natural tissue inflammation, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure.

Is it worth to save instead of extracting it?

Extraction may be a quicker and cheaper alternative, but seldom is it in the best interest of the patient. Most of  times, an extraction leads to subsequent problems such as general instability of the whole dental arch because the adjacent teeth will over growing and shifting.

Endodontic treatment with full restoration usually cheaper than a bridge or an implant placement following extraction. It is a cost-effective way to treat teeth with damaged pulp. 


Teeth with diseased or injured pulps were removed at years ago. Today, root 
canal treatment enable keep the teeth that would otherwise be lost. 
Most endodontically treated teeth last as other natural teeth as far as oral health care is concerned.

"Nothing, not even the most advanced bridges and implants, can truly replace your natural tooth"

Save your natural tooth should always be your first choice