Root Canal Treatment – An Effective Method of Restoring Infected Teeth
Root canals are one of the most dreaded dental treatments. If dental decay is not treated, it will progress deep within the tooth until it reaches pulp tissue. The root canal procedure is performed to repair the damaged pulp by filling. This procedure helps keep teeth from being damaged, otherwise requiring removal. Let’s look at the procedure thoroughly.
What causes teeth to become infected?
The tooth’s root canals are composed of nerves and blood vessels, which feed the teeth with nutrition and oxygen. If the decay within the teeth’ outer layer is not addressed and it gets worse, it reaches the root canals, and the blood vessels and nerves are inflamed and infected. The affected pulp tissue dies and replaces the infected tissue and pus. The result is swelling and pain and, if not treated, can cause injury to the bone structure around it and result in an abscess in the tooth. Thus, root canal treatments are performed to eliminate the affected pulp and replace it with the filling.
Other reasons that could harm the teeth and trigger infections are the result of accidental cracks and leakage of fillings or infection of the gums that reach the root base.
The root canal process:
Also known as endodontic therapy, root canal treatment involves sterilizing and cleaning the root canal and eliminating the affected tissue. Your dentist completes the procedure in two or more visits based on the circumstances. If your tooth has an active infection and antibiotics are prescribed, taking them for 3-5 days is recommended to lessen the discomfort and inflammation. Local anesthesia is applied before treatment to ensure that patients are relaxed. The first step is to put a rubber dam over the affected tooth to ensure that the tooth stays clean during treatment and to avoid contamination in the tooth canals. After removing the uppermost layer of the tooth with a dental drill, the dentist will access the pulp chamber inside the tooth and take out the infected pulp.
The base of your tooth will then be cleaned using a variety of tiny files. These dental files clean and widen the pulp chamber and canal. This process could take several hours, and it might require numerous visits. Additionally, it depends on which tooth is infected. The longer it takes to complete treatment, the more teeth have roots since the premolars and molars have two or three roots with many canals. After the tooth has been thoroughly cleaned during the initial appointment, a temporary filling is placed.
At the next appointment, the temporary filling has to be removed. The canal is then filled, and the crown secures the tooth. The crown shields the filled tooth from fracture.
Aftercare
Do not eat hard food up to the time that treatment has been completed. Maintain an excellent oral hygiene routine through regular dental flossing and brushing. Reduce your consumption of colas and sugar. Your restored tooth can last a lifetime with proper care.
If you need more information about root canal therapy, contact New Ivory Dental & Implant Clinic and connect with one of our specialists. We’ll be happy to help you!
