A trip to the dentist! Not exactly something we look forward to! However, oral hygiene is an essential part of healthcare you should never ignore. The biggest fear though comes in the form of two dreaded words – Root Canal.
What is Root Canal?
A root canal is an endodontic procedure – inside the tooth – in which the dentist removes the soft pulp residing within a decaying tooth, all in an effort to save the tooth. This pulp is made up of blood vessels, connective tissue and nerves that help the tooth grow. However, once the tooth has grown out of the gum and has matured, the soft pulp has no real contribution to the tooth's health. This procedure is done under local anesthesia, which means you are awake and aware of your surroundings but numb in the treatment area – the gum holding the decaying tooth.
Why Root Canal?
Many factors can cause the decay of the soft pulp of a tooth. It may be caused due to deep and prolonged decay, repeated dental procedures, and/ or chipping of the tooth due to trauma or unfortunate accidents. If basic tooth irritation is ignored long enough, the decay in the tooth goes deep and affects the nerves – responsible for providing hot and cold sensation – get affected and starts rotting. Left untreated, such a condition can further damage the tooth and bring it to a point where extracting the tooth is the only option left to save the gum and adjacent teeth.
Symptoms
Whether or not you need a root canal would depend upon your dentist’s appraisal of your tooth however, certain signs can alert you to a need for this procedure.
- Sensitivity – Sensitive teeth – that react to hot and cold – are the first signs of pulp decay.
- Pain – In the tooth while chewing or biting.
- Chips or cracks – On the teeth owing to trauma and/or accident
- Painful gums – Any obvious swelling in the gums or gum pain
- Bleeding gums
Procedure
A Root Canal Procedure Includes the Following Steps:
- Examination – A thorough examination of the infected tooth using physical examination as well as tooth x-rays.
- Anaesthetic – A local anesthetic delivered with an injection on the infected gum.
- Drilling – A small entry point created on the crown of the tooth – just big enough to carry out the procedure without disturbing the adjacent teeth.
- Pulp Removal – Extraction of the infected/decaying pulp – at first by scooping and then by scraping the inner walls of the tooth thoroughly.
- Sealing – Complete sealing of the cleaned tooth with a biocompatible, rubber-like material called gutta-percha to allow for healing before restoration.
- Restoration – Placing a crown or cap on the tooth to prevent further harm to it – and to get the tooth back to its normal functionality.
- Follow Up – A follow-up prescription of antibiotics to make sure no infection occurs and any existing one dies down.
The root canal, while painful, is a necessary procedure if you wish to rid yourself of tooth decay without losing the tooth itself. It restores the tooth to normal functionality in just a couple of sittings.
