Root Canal
Root Canal is the long passage full of soft
tissue (refers to tissues that connect, support, or surround other structures
and organs of the body) that is located underneath the tooth dentin which adjoin
in the pulp chamber. There are one up to four canals found in the human tooth.
Damaged or dead pulps can cause pain in our tooth because it increases the blood
flow and cellular activity of our tooth. Infected pulp due to cavity or
fractures may allow bacteria to seep into our tooth that causes the pulp to die.
When this occurs our tooth must have its treatment before the infection spreads
and pain gets worse. Our tooth doesn’t heal by itself that is why the dentist
sometimes suggests undergoing tooth extraction. However, tooth extraction can
cause a bad bite which is why tooth extraction is followed by a tooth implant or
bridge. Although, a tooth implant or bridge is expensive the dentist may suggest
you a cheaper treatment like root canal therapy (a dental procedure done to save
damaged or dead pulp in the root canal of the tooth). Because keeping our
original tooth is still the best choice of common patients.
Root canal therapy is a type of procedure that enables the
patient to keep the original tooth by filling the canal with gutta percha (a
rubber-like material), to prevent recontamination of the tooth. The tooth then
will be permanently sealed with porcelain or gold, depending upon the patient
choice. Root canal therapy usually takes one to three sessions.
The following are the step by step methods of root canal
therapy:
- A local anesthetic will probably be given to you to
numb the area.
- A rubber sheet is then placed around the tooth to
isolate it.
- Next, a gap is drilled from the crown into the pulp
chamber, which, along with any infected root canal, is cleaned of all
diseased pulp and reshaped.
- Medication may be inserted into the area to fight
bacteria. Depending on the condition of the tooth, the crown may then be
sealed temporarily to guard against recontamination, or the tooth may be
left open to drain, or the dentist may go right ahead and fill the canals.
After a successful root canal therapy, a follow up exam is
strongly advised to monitor the tissue healing by the dentist. Root canal
treatment is proven to be 95 percent effective. A failed treatment is very rare.
However, there are few cases when the dentist has redone the treatment because
of the diseased canal offshoots that went unnoticed or the fracturing of a canal
filing instrument. A failed treatment is sometimes marked by a pain.