Root Canal Treatment
What is Root Canal Treatment/RCT?
A tooth is mainly made up of a hard material called dentine. Enamel is the outer layer that protects the visible part of the tooth (crown). The part of the tooth that sits beneath the gum line is called the root. The hollow center of a tooth is called the pulp chamber. This area contains the pulp (sensitive tissue). If the tooth pulp and nerves become infected or damaged then an RCT or endodontic treatment is required. It is done by an Endodontist to save the tooth from extraction.
Root Canal specialist will first try to diagnose to what extent the pulp damage is and give local anesthesia if required. Then your dentist will create a small opening at the top of the tooth and will clear away the infected pulp from the tooth, followed by disinfection and shaping of the canal to receive the filling material. Next the dentist will fill the canal with inert material and properly seal the hole, made to access the canal, followed by placing a crown or similar kind of restoration on top of the tooth after few days.
Why tooth pulp gets damaged?
There can be a lot of reasons why the inner most part of the tooth gets infected. Pulp infection occurs when the outer layers (enamel and dentin) get compromised, allowing bacteria to get into the pulp to cause swelling, pain and infection. The common reasons why the outer layers allow the bacteria to spread into pulp are:
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Cavities which cause tooth erosion
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injury to the tooth, even a minor crack line can expose pulp to bacteria
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Broken/fractured tooth, which exposes pulp
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Bruxism (habitual tooth grinding)
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Gum diseases
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Repeated dental treatment on particular tooth
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Decay beneath a deep filling
What are the symptoms?
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Tooth pain is the most common symptom. This can be a continuous pain or it can be for some time and come back later. There can be several other causes for pain beside root canal infection, but this is the most common symptom to watch out for.
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If your tooth hurts when you have something cold or hot, it may be an indication that the pulp inside your teeth is infected.​
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Swelling in gums can be a sign that you may need root canal treatment.
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Injured or cracked tooth can damage the nerves and cause swelling and pain, which may require root canal treatment.
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A loose tooth can be a sign of infection too which requires to be treated by RCT.
What happens if root canal is not done?
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If you ignore it, the pain may subside after few days, but the problem won't go way. It does not get self cured; reduced pain simply means that the nerves inside the tooth are all dead. And the infection continues to spread to remaining teeth.
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If left untreated, infection could spread to gums, jaw and in extreme cases could lead to serious conditions like heart diseases.
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If you neglect root canal problem for long enough, you could lose the whole tooth; in this case root canal is not possible and tooth has to be extracted.
What care should be taken after RCT?
It is normal to experience slight discomfort after the procedure. But it is temporary and will subside in few days. Follow all the care instructions given by your dentist. Below are the common practices to be followed after the root canal treatment:​
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Avoid biting hard/crunchy foods. Also avoid chewing sticky foods (like chewing gums). If possible chew on the opposite side of the mouth.
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Take pain medication as recommended by your dentist. If antibiotics are recommended, continue to take them till the advised length of time even if there is no pain.
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Follow your routine oral hygiene practices like brushing, but make sure you are not too harsh on the treated area while cleaning.
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Do not delay in getting the final restoration (crowns) done.
Why choose our dental clinic for RCT?
At AK Dental Clinic we have team of dentists highly experienced in advanced root canal therapy. We have modern equipment to perform painless root canal treatment. If you are concerned about pain, then don't; because we guarantee minimal pain root canal procedure performed by our experienced endodontists. Also don't worry about the number of visits to dental hospital anymore, because we offer single visit dental treatment and a single follow up visit for fixing crowns. Why don't you hurry and book an appointment now.