In order to explain exactly what root canal treatment is characterized by, it is good to briefly get acquainted with the tooth structure.
A tooth has 2 parts - a crown and a root. The crown is the visible part of the tooth that is located in the oral cavity. The root is located deep in the jaw attaching the tooth rigidly to the bone. The hard outer covering of the tooth is the enamel, and underneath is a harder substance that forms the bulk of the tooth - the dentin. Beneath the dentin is a soft tissue called pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue that help the root of the tooth grow.
As we know, there are many bacteria living in the oral cavity. For various reasons such as poor hygiene, weak immunity, untreated tooth decay, etc., infections can occur, affecting not only the crown, but also the pulp and root system of the tooth.
As the condition progresses, patients begin to feel pain of a neurological nature. Most often, an X-ray is recommended, from which an infection of the pulp is detected. Not infrequently, tooth destruction from the inside out occurs with the formation of dental cavities. If the impact of the bacteria lasts too long, the pulp dies and the infection spreads to the root of the tooth.
Symptoms in pulp inflammation:
- pain or severe sensitivity when eating hot or cold food
- pain when chewing and biting
- feeling of pain in several teeth at the same time /most often the adjacent teeth/
- movement in the tooth
Upon reaching the point where the pulp is already destroyed, the symptoms disappear or weaken dramatically. This often misleads patients into thinking that the problem is gone. The tooth appears to be cured, but in fact, the infection has spread through the root system and covers an even larger portion of the tooth.
Late symptoms are:
- regaining old grievances
- swelling of the gums around the affected tooth
- leakage of pus from the gums
- swelling of the face on the affected side
- change in tooth colour - darkening
In these cases, root canal treatment is urgent.
It is performed by a dentist or a specialist - endodontist. The pulp is removed along with the affected nerve in the root of the tooth, after which the inside of the root canal is cleaned and disinfected. Next, the space is filled with a special material and sealed with a filling. Finally, the treatment ends with the placement of a crown to restore the tooth to its original function as much as possible. Root canal treatment extends the life of the tooth by about 10 years in over 90% of cases. A fully developed tooth can survive without the pulp as it continues to be nourished by the surrounding tissues.
After treatment:
It is possible that the treated tooth is more sensitive than the others, but this phenomenon subsides within a few days. Solid foods should be avoided until the treatment is complete.
To prevent the need for further root canal treatment is good to:
- keep your mouth and teeth clean
- avoid very hard food, sugar and anything that predisposes to bacterial overgrowth
- smoking cessation
The procedure is not painful as it seems. Patients are given a local anaesthetic which makes the treatment painless.
Expectation of self-healing on the part of patients is a wrong move, since the infected pulp cannot heal itself. If treatment is delayed for a long time, tooth extraction may result. Taking antibiotics also does not lead to cure but only to temporary suppression of symptoms.For more information, we at Medical Karaj are at your service.
Call us on the following numbers "Medical Karaj": 0879 977 401 or 0879 977 402.
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