The Ultimate Guide to Root Canal Treatment

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The Ultimate Guide to Root Canal Treatment
The most common cause of toothache is infection
or inflammation in the pulp of the tooth. To
relieve this unbearable pain as well as to
prevent further complications, the tooth may be
surgically extracted or saved by Root Canal
Treatment. With awareness about oral and dental
care rising, this treatment has become a common
dental procedure.
Root Canal Treatment, also known as endodontic
treatment, is a procedure in which the damaged or
diseased pulp of a tooth is removed and the inner
areas like chamber and root canals are filled and
sealed to save it from further infection.
The Diagnosis Pain in chewing, prolonged
sensitivity to hot or cold, swelling and
tenderness of the gums, darkening of tooth,
unbearable pain and inflammation in gums and the
area around, pimples appearing on the gums are
some of the symptoms suggesting the need of Root
canal Treatment. The dentist will take an x ray
of the tooth to determine if there is any sign of
infection in the surrounding bone.
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The Procedure
The Root Canal Treatment, spread over a number of
sittings with the dentist, is a step-by-step
procedure, carried out in the following sequence.
Step 1 Local anesthesia is administered to numb
the affected tooth and its surrounding areas.
Treatment begins only after the entire area
becomes senseless. Step 2 Now a small access
hole is drilled through the biting surface of an
affected back tooth or from behind a front tooth,
allowing access to the pulp chamber and root
canals for treatment. Step 3 The infected and
dead pulp tissue is removed with specially
designed surgical instruments and the root canal
is cleaned. As the area is numb and the tissue is
either dying or dead, the procedure is not
painful. The canals are disinfected with
antiseptic and antibacterial solutions. Step 4
Now the canals are shaped with tiny instruments,
before being washed and cleaned. Root canal
fillings are selected that exactly fit into the
freshly prepared canals. Sealing the canals is
very important to prevent them from becoming
re-infected with bacteria. Step 5 The access
hole is sealed and a permanent restoration like a
filling or crown is done to restore the tooth
structure as well as to provide a complete
covering. An antibiotic is prescribed to treat
and prevent any infection.
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Treatment Care
Post Treatment Care In the course when
antibiotics are taken, care should be exercised
to avoid using the tooth for chewing. As the
tooth becomes structurally weak, it may break or
become infected. In case of any sensitivity, a
mild pain killer may be taken. In most cases,
regular activity is resumed by the patient just a
day after the treatment. Risks in the
Treatment In some rare cases, root canal
treatment may not be successful the first time.
As a result inflammation, infection and
persistent pain may recur. If the X-ray report in
such cases indicates that a repeat treatment is
feasible, the old filling is removed and the
canals are thoroughly cleaned again. The problems
in the first treatment are identified and a new
procedure is performed. In cases where another
treatment is not feasible, an endodontic surgery
is performed in which the diseased tissue is
cleaned and the canal is resealed. This ultimate
guide to Root Canal Treatment will make people
aware about this inevitable dental procedure,
while mentally preparing those who are planning
to undergo it.
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