ROOT CANAL

Who would want to suffer from severe tooth loss due to tooth decay and cavities? No matter how much we try to protect our teeth from getting decayed, this is something that inevitably happens. But before this results to tooth loss, save your teeth here at Polaris Dental Care through our root canal treatment.

Many people dread getting a root canal performed on their tooth due to the perception that it would cause them pain. What most people do not know is that root canal does not cause pain, but it actually relieves pain.Root canal treatment is a procedure done to save a badly damaged or infected tooth. The procedure 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. The term “root canal” comes from cleaning of the canals inside the tooth’s root.

The pulp needs to be removed because it breaks down when it gets damaged. And when it does, bacteria begin to multiply and could later on cause infection or abscessed tooth. When it is also not addressed immediately and left untreated, the infection in the root canal of a tooth can cause swelling that may spread to other areas of the face, neck or head.

Below are the signs that indicate your need to have a root canal performed:

1. Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure
2. Prolonged sensitivity (pain) to hot or cold temperatures (after the heat or cold has been removed)
3. Discoloration (darkening) of the tooth
4. Swelling and tenderness in nearby gums
5. A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums

The following are the procedures involved in a root canal procedure:

1. Local anesthesia is administered via injections to numb the tooth to be treated and the surrounding tissues. It may take a while to get numb if the pulp of the tooth is severely inflamed.
2. A dental dam will be placed over the affected and adjacent teeth. The tooth undergoing treatment protrudes through a hole punched in the dam, isolating it from the rest of the mouth. This allows the root canal treatment to be carried out in a sterile environment free from contamination by bacteria found in saliva or the rest of the mouth.
3. 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.
4. The diseased and dead pulp tissue is removed from the tooth with specially designed instruments used to clean out the root canals and pulp chamber.
5. The canals are disinfected with antiseptic and antibacterial solutions.
6. The canals are then shaped with tiny flexible instruments to allow them to receive root canal fillings and sealers.
7. Root canal fillings are selected that will exactly fit into the freshly prepared canals. Usually a rubber-like material called gutta-percha is used to fill the canal space. It is a thermoplastic material (“thermo” – heat; “plastic” – to shape), which literally is heated and then compressed into and against the walls of the root canals to seal them.
8. A temporary or permanent filling material will then be placed to seal the access hole that was made to treat the canals, and the dental dam is removed.
9. After the procedure, an antibiotic may be prescribed to treat or prevent infection. Be sure to follow the instructions of your dentist or endodontist carefully.
10. Your tooth will need a permanent restoration — a filling or a crown — to replace lost tooth structure, and provide a complete seal to the top of the tooth. Your endodontist will send you back to your general dentist to determine which type of restoration is best for you.

After the treatment, you may just feel a little tooth sensitivity but it will be gone in a few days or it can be relieved by taking medications. It is about time to consider this treatment and overcome your fears because after all, Polaris Dental Care is here to take good care of you and your oral health needs the best way we can.

If you think Root Canal is ideal for you, you may contact our dental office anytime.