Root Canal Treatment & Causes
Root Canal is the most common problem heard frequently in most of the people. Generally speaking, most people visit the dentist only when they feel any pain in their teeth or gums. In most cases, people are unaware of the exact problem behind their ached tooth or their difficulty chewing their favorite food. And as a result, they least care about it initially until it turns out to be a severe problem.
In this blog, we have decided to shed some light to address some most common, yet unknown facts and procedures involved in root canal treatment.
Let us understand the below contents:
- What is the Root Canal?
- When Can you get a Root Canal?
- Common Causes of Root Canal?
- Signs of Root Canal
- Tips to Prepare for Your Root Canal Treatment Procedure
- The Root Canal Treatment Procedure
- Benefits of Microscopic Root Canal Treatment over regular Root canal
- A Note
- FAQs
Now, let us dive to know more about Root Canal.
What is a Root Canal?
First, let us understand what a tooth is composed of. Usually, any teeth primary or permanent have three parts, namely Enamel, Dentin, and Pulp surrounded by the gums and supported by the bone. For any tooth, the problem starts from the cavities that form on the outer layer of teeth i.e., enamel. When this cavity is neglected, it spreads deep into the inner layers of teeth resulting in pain and discomfort. Hence, early detection helps in preventing the spread. So, be proactive about your teeth and visit the dentist once in 6 months.
A Root canal is a procedure to completely remove the infected part of the teeth from the inner layer called the pulp. This dental procedure helps the person to relieve the severe pain of the deeply developed cavities and protects teeth from further decaying. In the procedure, a soft centre of the tooth or inflamed pulp is removed that is made up of nerves, connective tissues and blood vessels which help the teeth to grow.
Sometimes, the pulp inside the teeth gets infected or inflamed due to multiple procedures on the same area or tooth breakage or decay tooth. This root canal treatment helps in repairing and saving the tooth from further decay or damage.
“The right time for Root Canal Treatment is when the pain is mild.”
When you visit the doctor for tooth pain, the immediate suggestion from the doctor is to undergo root canal treatment. Ever wondered why doctors quickly suggest this?
Usually teeth are prone to many bacterial infections that start with mild and grow unnoticeably by developing into the deeper layers. It can only detect when we experience severe and intolerable pain as most of the time mild pain in the tooth or gums is neglected. By the time you reach the best dentist near you, you might have developed the cavity into inner layers of the teeth. Hence the doctors suggest root canal treatment when the dental infection reaches the pulp tissue. Even if you are in the initial state of tooth damage, prone to root canal treatment helps in preventing further damage.
The Common Causes of Root Canal
It takes a long time to recommend or suggest a Root Canal Treatment/Therapy. Warning signs of tooth decay, such as cavities, will take place months or even years before it becomes necessary to pursue such intensive treatment.
Still, there are some common situations that can make a root canal procedure more likely:
- One of the common but underrated causes is the untreated or ill-treated cavity left for a longer time.
- Failure in brushing or flossing regularly.
- Poor Oral Hygiene is one of the major causes for the Root Canal issue.
- Cavities in teeth may also be formed after multiple wrong dental procedures in the same area of the teeth.
Do not ignore these Signs and Symptoms
For every problem in the body we will have the signs and symptoms. Some are noticed and some are ignored until they become a part of our routine. Toothaches are one such underrated symptoms most people face, yet neglect until severity grows. When the severity increases, we start noticing the symptoms to analyze the issue.
- There will be a persistent pain in teeth that passes into gums and jaw and even to face.
- Teeth become more sensitive to hot or cold.
- A pus bulb on gums.
- Tooth discolouration due to poor blood supply.
- Cracked tooth, indicating bacterial infection.
- Swollen jaw out of un-drained pus bulbs.
Tips to Prepare for Your Root Canal Treatment
In general, people relate root canal as some process of digging the teeth deep in. However the traditional procedures were having the image of everything being surgical. But now the treatment procedures gained much more scope for technological developments making it easy and painless for the patients. Before the patient goes for root canal treatment, it is better for them to follow some tips to avoid boos from traditional procedures.
- Discuss with your doctor to understand what root canal is.
- Know the procedure before you get into it.
- Avoid smoking or drinking or eating foods that weaken teeth.
- Take a healthy meal to stay strong.
At Dr.Jaydev Dental Clinic, root canal treatment is carried out on detailed examination of the teeth and its severity. We have employed microscopic root canal treatment procedures to ensure the unrivaled accuracy. Have a session for detailed discussion on pre, during and post treatment stages, the medication or food guide etc.
The Root Canal Treatment procedure
Root canal treatment is a detailed process where each step of the procedure is clearly fulfilled to ensure that the chances for re-infection is minimized and the patient is assured for complete recovery. It is a process of 4 series of steps with a specific goal.
1. Cleaning or Extirpation
One of the primary reasons for root canal is the infected teeth. So the treatment procedure begins with cleaning the infected area. The infected pulp from the teeth is removed either manually or from mechanized files. Later on the inner walls are filled with antiseptics to further prevent the infection from spreading. Depending on the teeth condition cleaning can be carried out in single or double appointments. Do not leave your treatment here as you are relieved from pain.
2. Shaping & Filling or Obturation
In this the root canal is made ready for filling. A temporary filling is filled to cover the top of the teeth. This prevents the bacterial re-enter. For filling this hollow area, an artificial filling Is used called as gutta-percha, etc.
3. Restoration of the tooth
To restore the tooth, an artificial covering commonly called dental crown is placed over the teeth. These are designed using the casts. These crowns are manufactured in specialized labs using materials like ceramics etc., based on the patient's preference. Using a permanent adhesive, the crown is fixed on the tooth to protect from the chewing force.
After completing the procedure, recovery from it is more necessary than anything else. Read out some recovery options post-treatment.
Benefits of Microscopic Root Canal Treatment Over Regular Root Canal
- Dental microscopy provides improved, more precise imaging of the interior surfaces of your tooth roots.
- As it helps in viewing the deeper parts of the tooth, it helps the dentist to work on the infection in the last layer of the tooth which is generally not visible with a naked eye.
- As an outcome, relative to endodontic treatments conducted without a microscope, your root canal treatment is more effective and competent.
- When the numbing medication wears off from the procedure, you will feel tenderness in the area for a few days as everything heals, and some soreness in the jaw if your mouth was open for an extended period of time during the procedure.
A Note from Dr.Jaydev Dental Clinic:
At Dr. Jaydev dental clinic combines a technical expertise procedure called Microscopic Root Canal Treatment to the detailed diagnosis of the decayed or infected tooth. Each section of the tooth is first seen under a microscope and the treatment procedure will be begun clearly diagnosing the severity.
Dr. Jaydev says that root canal treatment is one of the safest procedures and microscopic root canal treatment is the most advanced procedure to detail the issue and treat it well. He further adds that regular dental check-ups help in keeping the tooth healthy and prevent common infections.
For any kind of dental emergency, contact us to get an instant appointment schedule.
Get Every Single Answer About The Treatment
In most of the cases, early detected root canal treatment lasts for half a day, but if the severity hit its bell, the patient may be required to have another appointment depending on the severity.
For most of the patients getting a root canal treatment is no more painful. With Local anesthesia and advanced treatments with microscope the pain at the time of treatment is minimal. However care has to be taken after the treatment is performed for a certain period specified by the dentist.
Depending on the tooth, your dentist recommends the need for a dental crown. Usually the crown is recommended 3 months post treatment. The main goal of the crown is to protect the teeth from further infection as the nerves in the tooth become weak post treatment.
The obvious result is the pain in teeth and gums is relieved as the antiseptic cleaning is done. It treats the dental infections from deep inside and prevents further infections. Proper filling with quality material is the final outcome of the tooth.
As teeth are the major part to eat, choosing the right food helps in quick and easy healing. Avoid eating Spicy, hot and hard foods. Instead choose foods that are soft to chew like fluids or well cooked foods.
