What is root canal treatment?

Root Canal Treatment(Endodontics)- This procedure removes dental pulp when it has become dead or infected. Dental pulp is the soft core of the tooth. It contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. The pulp extends from the top of the tooth, called the crown, all the way down to the roots, in branches called canals.

Dental pulp may become infected and need root canal therapy because of:

An untreated cavity that affects the pulp;

Trauma to the tooth casusing the pulp to die or;

Gum disease.

When dental pulp becomes infected or dies, a painful abscess within the jawbone may occur. Removing dead or diseased dental pulp will prevent infection from spreading to other areas of the mouth and destroying bone around the tooth. If a root canal is not done, the tooth will need to be removed.

Common signs of pulp problems include:

Pain when biting down on a tooth;

Spontaneous pain when the tooth is not being used;

Sensitivity to hot food or beverages;

Tooth discoloration;

Swollen gums around the infected tooth; or

A draining boil-like structure (called a fistula) on the gum adjacent to the tooth.

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a root canal, your dentist will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

Pain and swelling;

Persistent abscess or;

Inability to save the tooth

Description of the Procedure.

Local anesthesia (eg, lidocaine) will be used. The dentist will numb the area in your mouth. The anesthesia will be given as an injection. A small hole will be made through the top of the tooth and into the pulp. Next, stainless steel files will be inserted to extract the pulp tissue. All teeth have 1-4 individual canals. Pulp will need to be extracted from all canals in the affected tooth. Once all pulp has been removed, the walls of the root canal will be re-shaped and enlarged. Lastly, the canal will be dried, sterilized, and filled with a rubbery inert material called gutta percha . This material will prevent re-contamination. At this point, the dentist may insert a temporary filling. This filling will protect the tooth. The procedure may be done within one visit or at multiple appointments. This depends on the condition of the tooth. All posterior teeth that have undergone endodontics will require a dental crown to restore the tooth to full function, and to protect it from fracture.