Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic therapy, is a dental procedure used to treat a tooth that has been damaged by dental decay, trauma, fracture or a leaking filling. The pulp contains nerves and blood vessels and when it becomes infected or inflamed, it can cause severe pain or abscess.
The bacteria damages the pulp causing pain and sometimes developing an abscess. Root canal treatment is a procedure to clean and remove the infected nerve and blood vessels of the tooth to avoid the extraction.
The current literature states a success rate above 80% for root canal therapy.
Why Do I need a Root canal treatment?
You may need a root canal if the bacteria inside your mouth invades the pulp inside your tooth and causes inflammation and pain. Sometimes this inflammation process can cause an abscess or swelling and an antibiotic may be required. You might need Root canal treatment if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Severe, constant, throbbing toothache.
- Spontaneous pain which is only relieved with painkillers.
- Tooth becomes loose, and feels pain or pressure on biting.
- Swollen gums around the tooth with discharge of pus.
- Facial swelling which may involve increasing temperature.
- Darkening the tooth.
- Small blister in your gums above the tooth.
- Trauma or fracture where nerve or blood vessels have been exposed.
- Recent deep filling which is very sore after it was completed.
Why is my tooth not sore and I still need a root canal treatment?
Sometimes the damage produced into the pulp of the tooth is irreversible and the body is capable to produce strong painkillers called endorphins which make the tooth completely painless. Other times, the patient may have experienced pain in the past but never attended the dentist to check it, and the nerve of the tooth is now dead (necrotic) not causing any pain at all (maybe some discomfort).
The dentist will have to assess the tooth with an x-ray and some tests to make sure the tooth definitely needs a root canal. A toothache doesn’t always mean that a root canal treatment is required.
What can I expect from the treatment?
Sadly, most patients think that the root canal treatment is going to be a painful procedure and they will end losing the tooth. Currently we have strong local anaesthesia and new modern techniques allowing us to do this procedure without causing any pain or discomfort. Root canal treatment is usually carried in one or two appointments, depending on each individual tooth.
At the beginning of the appointment, you dentist will carefully numb the tooth with local anaesthetic. Once you are completely numb, we access to the infected pulp and remove this by drilling a small hole into the tooth and removing the infected/damaged area.
Your dentist will use some specialist fine instruments called files to carefully measure, clean and remove the nerve inside the root of the tooth. Also, the dentist will use some disinfectant solution to make sure the canal is completely clean. Once this stage is completed, your dentist will seal the roots with a filling material to prevent bacteria from reinfecting the tooth.
After root canal is completed, your dentist will restore the tooth with a new permanent filling. Sometimes, if there is not enough tooth structured due to the large decay or fracture your dentist may recommended a crown to protect the whole tooth.
Sometimes, the patient may experience some pain after the root canal treatment has been completed, this is usually eased with normal painkillers from the chemist. In rare occasions an abscess may occur in which an antibiotic will be prescribed.
