Root Canal Treatment

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Root Canal Treatment
A root canal is a treatment to repair and save a
badly damaged or infected tooth. It involves
removing the damaged area of the tooth (the
pulp), cleaning and disinfecting it and then
filling and sealing it. The common causes
affecting the pulp are a cracked tooth, a deep
cavity, repeated dental treatment to the tooth or
trauma. A root canal treatment is a commonly
known but often misunderstood procedure.
Contrary to popular belief, these treatments
aren't painful in fact, they often stop a
toothache. More importantly, a root canal can
give a tooth on the verge of loss another lease
on life. Still, if you've never experienced a
root canal treatment before, you probably have
questions. Australian Dental Health NSW is giving
answers to a few of the most common questions.
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Root Canal Treatment
Why do they call it a root canal? This is the
popular shorthand term for a procedure that
removes diseased tissue from a decay-infected
pulp, the innermost part of a tooth and the
actual root canals themselves. Root canals are
the narrow, hollow channels that run from the tip
of the root to the pulp and are also involved in
the procedure. Why do I need one? Once infected,
the pulp's bundles of blood vessels, nerves and
other tissues become diseased. This often results
in a painful toothache that can also suddenly
disappear once the nerves within the pulp die.
But there's still a problem If we don't clean
out the diseased and dead pulp tissue, the
infection could spread through the root canals to
the bone and endanger the tooth's survival. What
happens during the procedure? After deadening the
tooth and surrounding gums with local
anaesthesia, we enter the pulp through an access
hole we create. Using special instruments we
remove the diseased tissue and shape the root
canals to seal them with a filling material
called gutta-percha.
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Root Canal Treatment
Sealing the access hole is then necessary to
prevent re-infection. Later we'll cap the tooth
with a porcelain crown to restore its appearance
and add further protection against fracture or
cracking of the tooth.
Who can perform a root canal treatment? In many
cases a general dentist can perform the
procedure. There are some complex situations,
however, that require a root canal specialist
with additional training, expertise and equipment
to handle these more difficult cases. If your
tooth is just such a case it's more than likely
your general dentist will refer you to an
endodontist to make sure you get the right kind
of care to save it.
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Root Canal Treatment

• Advantages of saving the natural tooth with RCT
• Efficient chewing
• Normal biting force and sensation
• Natural appearance
• Protects other teeth from excessive wear or
  strain.
• Root Canal treatment step by step
• A Deep Infection
• Root canal treatment is needed if tooth is
  infected due to any injury or a large cavity.
• A Route to the Root
• The dentist gives anaesthesia, if needed. An
  opening is made through the crown of the tooth to
  the pulp chamber.

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Root Canal Treatment
Root Canal treatment step by step Removing the
infected/inflamed tissue Special files are used
to clean infection and unhealthy pulp out of
canals. Irrigation is used to help clean the
canals and remove debris. Filling the canals The
canals are filled with permanent material. This
helps to keep the canals free of infection and
contamination. Rebuilding the tooth A temporary
filling material placed on top of the
gutta-percha to seal the opening. The filling
remains until the tooth receives a permanent
filling and/or a crown.
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Root Canal Treatment
Root Canal treatment step by step Extra
Support In some cases a post is placed into the
root next to the gutta-percha. This gives the
crown more support. The crowning touch The crown
is cemented into place which looks like a natural
tooth. It is placed over the top of the crown.
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Root Canal Treatment
Thank You