Root Canal Treatment

1) WHAT ARE ROOT CANALS?

Root canals are tiny canals within the tooth containing the nerve and blood vessels that carry sensation and nutrition to the pulp (the vital tissues) inside the tooth. The nerve is responsible for sensation while the blood vessels are responsible for nutrition.

2) WHY ROOT CANAL TREATMENT?

When a tooth pulp becomes either inflamed or infected the tooth becomes painful and it is either extracted or root canal treatment should be made. The procedure of root canal treatment involves removal of nerve, blood vessels and other soft tissues from the canals.

3) CAUSES OF PULP INFLAMMATION

Decayed large deep cavities or fractures that are in close proximity to the pulp may cause entrance of toxins to the pulp tissues and subsequent pulp inflammation.
When attempts are made to fill a large cavity some harmful material may reach the pulp tissues and subsequent pulp inflammation.
Old filling removal, especially amalgam, results in tooth overheating and subsequent pulp inflammation.
When the dentist prepares the tooth either for a crown or for a filling without sufficient coolant this may cause overheating and subsequent tooth inflammation.
Trauma to the tooth may cause damage of its blood vessels causing diminished nutrition and pulp inflammation or even tooth death.

4) PROCEDURES

The procedures may be completed through one to three visits depending on the severity of the infection present and the number of the canals inside the tooth. Some teeth has one canal, others have more up till four canals.

The area is first numbed with anaesthesia.
The tooth is drilled to the pulp chamber.
The length of the canals is then measured with the aid of X-rays.
The content of the whole canal is then removed and the canal is cleaned.
The empty clean canal is then filled with root canal filling material either at the same visit or later according to the case.
The access cavity (the drilled hole through which the pulp was reached and removed) is then filled with a permanent filling material and a crown is placed.

5) ADVANTAGES

Little or no pain during the procedure
Eliminates the need to take the tooth out (extraction)
The success rate is 90%

6) DISADVANTAGES

Usually there will be three to four days of discomfort after the root canal treatment; this may be prolonged if an infection was there before the treatment.