Root Canal treatment description.
WHAT IS THE ROOT CANAL?
Each tooth in its normal state is a living organ containing in its interior one or more root canals, thin conducts through which the pulp runs into each tooth.
The pulp is the living tissue containing blood vessels, cells and nerves within a matrix of connective tissue.
The pulp provides the tooth with blood supply, lymphatic fluid and sensitivity, keeping it alive.
Front teeth have at least one root with a root canal. Premolars generally have from 1 to 3 root canals, and molars 3 or 4.
When the pulp within a tooth is damaged by decay, trauma or chemical injury, it can no longer nourish the tooth and the tooth dies.
The aim of endodontic therapy is the long-term preservation of a natural tooth when its pulp has suffered an irreversible damage, reversing and preventing further pain, inflammation and infection.
How is a root canal done?
The root canal treatment can be performed in one appointment.
The procedure requires an x ray of the affected tooth to analyze the anatomy of the tooth and the possible extent of the lesion around the root to the supporting bone.
Anesthesia. First, local anesthesia is given to numb the infected tooth and the surrounding gums. There are also medications used in dentistry to help you relax, such as nitrous oxide, oral sedatives or intravenous (IV) sedation. Your healthcare provider may recommend sedation if you struggle with dental anxiety.
Dental dam placement. Before beginning root canal treatment, a small rubber dam is placed over the area. This isolates the tooth and keeps it dry during the procedure.
Accessing. For a root canal treatment or endodontic treatment, it is necessary to access the pulp from the surface of the tooth by making an opening through enamel and dentin.
Pulp removal. Once the root canals are located, the contained pulpar tissue is removed using special dental instruments, taking out the nerves, blood vessels and tissues inside the tooth.
Disinfection and shaping the canals. Once the pulp is removed, the pulp chamber and root canals are cleaned with the use of thin flexible endodontic files, disinfect with appropriate chemical substances and shaped to receive the filling material.
Filling the canals. The cleaned empty root canals are completely filled with a flexible, rubbery dental material called gutta-percha.
Sealing the tooth. To prevent bacteria from re-entering, a dental filling seals the tooth.
Final restoration. Depending on the extension of the damage to the crown, either a partial adhesive restoration like a composite or an Onlay/inlay type can complete the process.
In some cases, a dental crown is the indicated solution to protect the treated tooth and restore the occlusion or bite. Crowns are custom-made, and creation usually takes two to three days.
When your crown is ready, the temporary filling is removed and the permanent crown is placed.
If the inflammation around the root of the tooth returns, the treatment can be repeated. This so-called revision is time-consuming. The success rate goes down.
A final treatment option is surgery: in root tip resection, the dentist removes the root tip and inflamed tissue through the bone.
The root canal is the lifeline of the tooth. If it is damaged, a root canal treatment (endodontic treatment) helps to preserve the damaged tooth.
This not only saves you losing a tooth, but also expensive surgical treatments and costs for implants and prosthetics to replace the lost teeth. Here we go into more detail about the root canal and the treatment options.
Do root canals hurt?
Many people are afraid that the root canal treatment hurts or that they’ll have pain after root canal therapy. The root canal treatment must not be painfull when pperformed by an experienced professional.
The root canal treatment is done under local anesthesia and sometimes under sedation making it a painless procedure.
Is impostant to consider that when the tooth has suffered an acute statecaused by infection, after completing a root canal treatment the source of infection is removed during the procedure, most people find immediate relief following treatment.
At Dental Specialists Medellin the root canal treatment is performed by a specialist called endodontist.
Our team of highly trained specialists provide patients from many countries dental implants, oral rehabilitation, dental crowns, oral surgery, periodontal treatment, orthodontic treatment and other specialized dental maxilofacial services.