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Root canal treatment, or endodontics (from “endo” – inside & “dont” – tooth), is a set of specialized procedures designed to treat problems of the soft pulp (nerve) tissue inside the tooth. While some mistakenly think of it as an unusually painful treatment, in most cases the procedure is no more uncomfortable than getting a filling. It's actually one of the most effective ways of relieving some types of tooth pain.
Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp tissue inside the root canal becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection may be caused by deep decay, a crack or chip in the tooth, or repeated drilling. A traumatic injury to a tooth can also compromise the pulp.
Pulp tissue consists of blood vessels, connective tissue and nerve cells — which is why a problem here may cause you to feel intense pain. In time, the pain may go away... temporarily. Without treatment, however, the infection (and accompanying pain) will likely return. It can affect the roots and lead to a dental abscess, which may even contribute to systemic problems in other areas of the body.
Root Canal Treatment Is Your Friend
Infection or inflammation in the tooth's pulp can be excruciatingly painful. Root canal treatment will eliminate this acute pain. Furthermore, root canal treatment allows you to keep your tooth and avoid its extraction and the resulting problems. Extractions inevitably lead to bone loss at the extraction site. Missing teeth will usually result in unwanted tooth movement of the adjacent teeth (eg. tipping), which can only be corrected by replacing the missing teeth with dental implants, bridgework or a denture.
Signs of Possible Root Canal Problems
You may need root canal treatment if you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms:
- Spontaneous, throbbing pain or dull ache; either constant or intermittent
- Lingering pain after consuming hot or cold food or drinks
- A draining abscess or a swelling in your gums. The abscess or swelling may or may not be painful
- Pain or sensitivity during chewing or when the tooth is tapped
- An x-ray taken by your dentist showing evidence of infection
If you notice any of these symptoms, please contact your dentist as soon as possible.
Causes of Root Canal Problems
Root canal problems stem from infection and inflammation of the tooth's pulp tissue. This is often caused by deep tooth decay. Untreated dental cavities eventually allow bacteria to work their way down to the center of the tooth, where they may infect the pulp tissue.
Bacteria can also come into contact with pulp via chipped or cracked teeth. Any opening in the protective enamel and dentin layers can potentially allow bacteria access to the tooth's pulp.
Trauma to the tooth, such as from a sports injury or car accident, is also a major cause of pulp tissue damage. In this case, it's essential to seek treatment immediately, both to try and save the tooth and to prevent future problems.
In some cases, extensive dental work such as multiple restorations on the same tooth, may cause damage to the pulp tissue, resulting in root canal treatment.
Your Root Canal Treatment Process
Root canal treatment is one of the most routine and effective procedures in the arsenal of dental treatments. It involves removing the dead or dying tissue within the root canal(s), disinfecting the canals and then filling the cleaned canals with an inert material to prevent reinfection. This procedure is usually completed in 1 - 2 visits.
The root canal process begins with a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and the surrounding area.
Next, a small opening is made in the surface of the affected tooth to gain access to the pulp chamber and root canals. Tiny files are used to remove the dead and dying pulp tissue from inside these narrow passageways. The chamber and empty canals are then cleaned, reshaped and disinfected. A temporary filling is placed to seal the tooth until the next appointment.
At the second visit, the canals are once again shaped and disinfected, then filled with an inert, biocompatible elastic material to seal off the roots from further bacterial infection. Finally, a permanent restoration is used to seal the opening in the tooth, preventing future infection.
Following root canal treatment, your tooth may feel some sensitivity or tenderness for a few days. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen are generally effective in relieving any discomfort.
A root canal-treated tooth is brittle and susceptible to fracture, so it is extremely important to protect it with a dental crown as soon as possible. Without the protection of a crown, biting or chewing hard foods may crack or fracture the tooth to the extent that it cannot be saved, but will need to be extracted. The crown will allow you to bite on your root canal-treated tooth and restore it to full function.