Root Canal Treatment

A root canal is a treatment procedure that helps you keep your tooth other than removing it and preventing your teeth from moving out of line which cause problems with the jaw. Root canal treatment also helps in avoiding the replacement of teeth with artificial teeth.

What is root canal treatment?

Also called endodontic treatment, root canal treatment is a procedure that helps to treat infections at the root canal system which is the center of a tooth. The infection is often as a result of bacteria that live inside the mouth and tend to infect the tooth and often happens after leaky fillings, tooth decay, and damage to teeth due to falling. In order to treat the tooth infection found in the root canal, it is always important to remove the bacteria.

After the removal of the bacteria, the root canal is filled, and the tooth closed with a crown or a filling. In most situations, the swollen tissue around the tooth will naturally heal. However, before the root canal treatment procedure, patients are frequently given a local anesthetic. Therefore, the procedure should not be painful. In most scenarios root canal treatment is successful. In around nine out of ten cases a tooth can very much survive for around ten years after the root canal procedure. 

When is root canal treatment needed?

When dental X-rays indicate that the bacterial infection has damaged the pulp, it calls for a root canal treatment immediately. The pulp will start to die if the bacteria infect it and thus allowing the bacteria to spread and multiply. However, the symptoms of an infected pulp include: pain when drinking or eating cold or hot foods and drinks; a loose tooth; or pain when chewing or biting. As the infection continues, these symptoms disappear while the pulp dies. Your tooth may seem like it has healed, but the infection has spread throughout the root canal system.

Will I feel pain during the procedure?

Root canal procedures are often performed so as to end the toothaches that are as a result of pulp infection or inflammation. With the use of modern techniques and the availability of anesthetics, many patients tend to say that they are often restful during this procedure. However, in the first few days after the procedure, your tooth will be sensitive, mainly if there was an infection or pain before the treatment. Luckily, the soreness can be reduced by use of prescription or over the counter medications, but it is important to stick to your dentist's instructions.

It is normal for your tooth to feel a little bit different from the other teeth for a period after the procedure. However, if you experience acute pain or pressure or at times pain that tends to last for several days, you should visit your dentist or your endodontist.