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Root canal treatment is a dental procedure designed to relieve nerve pain and save the natural tooth by removing inflamed or infected pulp (nerve) inside of the tooth under anesthesia.
How do you know if you might need a root canal treatment?
Some of the symptoms that mean you might need root canal treatment include:
- Severe toothache
- Pain on chewing and biting
- Prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold foods/drinks
- Pimple/swelling/discharge of the gums
- Darkening of tooth
- Cracked or fractured tooth
Benefits of a root canal treatment
- Eliminates the need for tooth extraction, salvaging the natural tooth
- Relieves the symptoms from an infected tooth
- Prevents infection from spreading to other teeth or deeper space in the head and neck region
What does a root canal treatment involve?
A root canal treatment requires one or more appointments.
Firstly, local anesthesia is used to numb the tooth which is then isolated with a dental dam (a rubber sheet) to prevent saliva and other oral bacteria from contaminating the tooth. Decayed tooth structure is removed. A small opening is made in the nerve space to remove and clean infected nerve. Medication will also be used to disinfect the nerve space.
Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned and symptom-free, a permanent filling is placed into the nerve space and the tooth is sealed to prevent reinfection. In most cases, you will need a dental crown to protect the treated tooth.
Following the procedure, you may experience temporary tooth sensitivity and discomfort once the anesthesia has worn off. These may be alleviated by taking pain relief medications.
What are the alternatives to root canal treatment?
Even though it is best to save natural teeth whenever possible, if the tooth is too badly decayed or deeply cracked, the only alternative is tooth removal followed by replacement with denture/implant/bridge.
Draft addition: What root canal treatment treats
Inside a tooth is soft tissue called the dental pulp. Deep decay, cracks, repeated dental procedures or injury can cause the pulp to become inflamed or infected. Root canal treatment removes the affected tissue, cleans and shapes the canal system, and fills and seals the space so that the tooth can be restored and retained where appropriate.
Diagnosis is important because tooth pain can have several causes. The assessment may include the history of the pain, examination, tests on the tooth and dental imaging. Some teeth have complex anatomy or previous treatment that affects the recommended approach.
Draft addition: Restoring the tooth afterwards
The tooth usually needs a suitable final restoration after root canal treatment. Whether this is a filling, onlay or crown depends on factors such as tooth position, remaining tooth structure and biting forces. Patients should return promptly if a temporary restoration is lost or the tooth becomes painful or swollen.
