Root Canal Treatment

What Is A Root Canal?

Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic therapy, is necessary when the tooth's root canal, a small division that branches off from the pulp (underneath the outer enamel there is an area called the pulp which carries the tooth's nerves veins, arteries and lymph vessels) gets infected. If decay or some other form of trauma reaches the nerve, it can die. This can occur over a period of time or rather abruptly.

Pain is caused when the pulp becomes infected with bacteria and and an increase in blood flow and pressure cannot be relieved from inside the tooth. Many people feel pain when biting down, chewing and eating foods that are hot or cold.

In the past, a badly infected tooth, or one that just had significant decay, was normally extracted. Today the majority of these teeth can be salvaged through root canal treatment.

Root Canal Therapy consists of:
1 The removal of the infected or irritated nerve tissue that lies within the root of the tooth. It is this infected pulp tissue that causes an eventual abscess.
2 The first step in a root canal is to obtain access to the nerve. This is accomplished by establishing a small access opening in the top of the tooth. It will be done under a local anesthetic.
3 At the same visit, the canal where the nerve is located will be reshaped and prepared to accept a special root canal filling material. This filling procedure will probably not occur until your next visit although very often root canal therapy can be accomplished in just one visit. The number of visits necessary to complete your root canal will depend upon several factors including the number of nerves in the tooth, the infected state of the nerve and the complexity of the procedure.
4 The final step in your root canal will be the sealing of the root canal with a sterile, plastic material, called gutta percha This is done in order to prevent possible future infection.
5 The tooth will then possibly need a post and core and a crown in order to re-establish normal form and function. This decision will be based upon several additional factors as well.

If treated early, root canal therapy need not be uncomfortable. With the use of local anesthetics, the entire procedure can be totally painless.

With the proper restoration the tooth should last as long as your other teeth and can even be used as an anchor tooth for a partial denture or cemented bridge. The success rates for root canal therapy have been reported to be as high as 95%.

Sometimes when there has been long standing infection or abscess, there may be some soreness associated with the first or second root canal visit. If this should turn out to be true you will be given specific instructions to follow to minimize the discomfort. When an infection is present, it may be necessary to take an antibiotic. If pain should be present, analgesics may need to be prescribed. In either case, be sure to call the office if either of these problems should arise.

Is root canal therapy necessary?

Without treatment, the infection will spread, bone around the tooth will begin to degenerate, and the tooth may fall-out. The only alternative is usually extraction of the tooth, which can cause surrounding teeth to shift crookedly, resulting in a bad bite. If you have the choice, it's always best to keep your original teeth.

Does a root canal work for everyone?

No, some people do not respond to root canal treatment and may still need to have their teeth extracted.