Root canal treatment (endodontics) is about saving teeth, rather than removing them. In the past, the only way to treat teeth with disease was to pull them out. This is not the case today. Now, thanks to modern dental techniques, we are able to save damaged teeth more than 90% of the time.
Root canal therapy treats disorders in the nerve (pulp) of the tooth. It can save a tooth, whose pulp, which contains its nerves and blood supply, is diseased or damaged. Pulp disease usually means that the tooth will be lost unless something is done to save it. Root canal therapy involves replacing the diseased pulp with a substance that will keep the tooth functional.
A damaged or diseased tooth will not heal by itself. Without treatment, the infection will spread, bone around the tooth will begin to degenerate and the tooth could fall out. The only alternative is removing the tooth.
Common Factors and Symptoms
After examining and X-raying the tooth, it will be determined if a root canal is needed. When the decision for root canal therapy has been made, a series of appointments will be scheduled.
After the root canal is completed, you may notice a slight discoloration and brittleness in the treated tooth. In most cases’ your dentist will recommend that the treated tooth receive a permanent crown. If the tooth is not crowned, you may want to ask your dentist about tooth whitening. A follow-up exam can monitor tissue healing. From this point on, brush and floss as usual and see your dentist on a regular basis. Contrary to popular belief, after a root canal your tooth is not dead. It is alive because it receives a source of blood and nerve supply from surrounding tissue. The tooth will have no feeling to hot or cold, but will be functional for biting. With proper care and regular visits to your dentist or hygienist, the tooth should last as long as your other teeth.
Root canal therapy is an indispensable procedure in treatment of teeth that are severely decayed, infected, or broken; allowing the affected tooth to be saved from extraction and maintained for many more years.
A root canal is part of a naturally occurring space within a tooth that consists of the pulp chamber, the main canal, and more intricate anatomical branches that may connect the root canals to each other or to the surface of the root. The smaller branches are most frequently found near the root end (apex) but may be encountered anywhere along the root length.
In a root canal procedure, the dentist will access the pulp chamber in the crown of the tooth and will reveal the root canals contained in the roots of the tooth. The infected nerve is removed and the canals are shaped using special files to smooth the walls and ensure no pulp tissue or infection is left. The canals are then filled with a special material that seals off the root canals.
Unfortunately, after root canal therapy the tooth often becomes brittle. To protect the tooth from fracture, it is recommended that a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy be restored with a crown or veneer.
Because of the complexity and difficulty of root canal therapy (due to multiple configurations and particularities of root canals in each individual) this treatment can pose a challenge for the dentist. Sometimes, it’s necessary to refer the patient to endodontists specializing in root canal therapy in Orléans.
