Root Canal Treatment
As we grow older, tooth loss becomes a genuine fear and can make many alike succumb to outstanding measures to prevent that. Root canal therapy is often sought after as a desperate means to save unruly or diseased teeth. Root canals have a reputation bigger than themselves for being a remarkable yet painful procedure and have favored many individuals to be able to keep their otherwise misshapen teeth. In fact, more than 15 million root canals are performed each year, helping relieve pain and revive unhealthy teeth. Despite the astounding pool of patients, this procedure continues to suffer many misconceptions.
What is a root canal treatment?
A root canal therapy is a dental treatment that is used to repair and save a badly infected or decayed tooth. This procedure follows the elimination of decay matter and bacteria from the root canals of teeth, preventive measures to avoid reinfection, and definite rescue of the damaged tooth or teeth. The National Institutes of Health points out that root canal treatments are performed to specifically bring a tooth back to health by removing the damaged or dying tissues from within the tooth, and are not practiced if the tooth is unsalvagable.
Inside your tooth, underneath the white outer layers or the enamel and dentin lies the pulp. The pulp is the living tissue that rests inside every tooth and houses blood vessels, nerve endings, and connective tissue. The pulp is the key component that determines the viability of a tooth – whether the tooth is “alive” or “dead”. Infections due to deep decay, large fillings, or cracks on the tooth can compromise the health of the pulp and cause it to “die”. During a root canal, the diseased portions are scooped out, and the canals are disinfected, filled, and sealed with dental material. This successfully prohibits the unnecessary extraction of a healthy tooth.
What does a root canal treatment entail?
Although a fairly toilsome procedure,we assure that root canals can be essentially completed in four simple steps, taking more than two office visits.
Step 1: Numbing the tooth
The dentist administers a local anesthetic to numb the infected tooth and surrounding gums. Once the tooth is numb, your dentist or endodontist will isolate the tooth using a sheet of rubber known as the rubber dam. This helps keep the tooth clean and dry during the procedure.
Step 2: Preparing the canals
Your dentist will begin by inserting small tools called files to create a root canal that is sufficiently wide as it is long. The root canals will be adequately shaped and irrigated with water or an antimicrobial solution to make sure that all infected or decayed mass is removed and reinfection is prevented.
Step 3: Filling the root canal
Once the tooth chamber has been thoroughly disinfecting and dried. The dentist proceeds to insert a rubber-like material called gutta-percha to fill the empty canal. A temporary filling material will be used to seal the space until a permanent crown is seated.
Step 4: Placing a crown
A few weeks after the appointment is when the dentist will place a permanent crown to restore your tooth. This step should not be avoid post-treatment. The tooth would have become weakened and may not support common oral functions like eating without additional assistance
Does a root canal treatment hurt?
Since patients receive anesthesia prior to the treatment, you will notice that root canal therapy isn’t any more painful than a regular dental procedure. Such as having your filling seat or your wisdom tooth remove. However, after the procedure,the area of treatment may be a bit sore or present with mild discomfort. This should subside on its own in a few days.
A root canal procedure can be daunting at first but it is not as bad as it sounds. Root canals assure that your smile protecte and your teeth are disease-free. Just as with any other dental treatment. You will need to practice proper and regular oral hygiene after the treatment to keep your teeth safe and functioning.
If you are in pain or suspect a dental infection, don’t suffer in silence any longer. Meiplus Dentalcare has got you! Your care is our primary goal. Contact us for more information.
About Our Team
Meet Our Dentists from Korea, USA, UK, Aus and Singapore.
Dr. Kim Taeyun
DDS Columbia Univ. (NY, USA)
Dr. Winston How
BDS NUS
Dr. Bak Junbeom
BDS King's College London (UK)
Dr. Leem Jae Hoon
BDSc Melbourne Univ.
Tg Pagar
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