Many people avoid visiting a dentist despite suffering from a tooth decay as they get apprehensive about the dental treatments. It becomes the reason for the severe decay or damage of the tooth which lands it in a stage of only being saved by a Root canal treatment.
You might have heard plenty stories about the root canal treatment which might have left you anxious about undergoing the procedure. What worries most people is that the procedure will cause them immense pain, but the fact is that due to the advancements in dentistry, the treatment is painless and as comfortable as getting a restoration done.
If you visit your dentist with a decayed or damaged tooth, you could be recommended a root canal treatment. We will guide you through the facts about this painless procedure to help understand how this treatment is beneficial to you.
It is always a better option both esthetically and economically to save a tooth than to replace it with an implant or a bridge. If given enough care, a tooth treated with this procedure can last a lifetime without any complications.
Understanding the Root Canal
A root canal is the innermost portion of the tooth that makes the tooth vital. Present under the hard layers of enamel and dentin, this is a space that houses the root canal along with the pulp that consists of the connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. When the root canal is affected due to reasons like tooth decay or trauma, it leads to the death of the pulp. If not healed in time it could lead to the spread of the infection beyond the roots into the underlying bone.
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| Understanding Root Canal |
When is root canal treatment needed?
A root canal treatment is also known as endodontic treatment. It is recommended in cases where an infection reaches deep into the tooth. The common reasons that lead to the pulp damage are:
- Deep or severe tooth decay
- Multiple dental procedures on a tooth
- A trauma causing a crack or chip in the tooth
- Fracture of the tooth
- Gum diseases
These conditions can eventually lead to the inflammation of the pulp which causes a pressure due to swelling. It is the reason for the pain and the irreversible damage that is caused to the pulp. The infection then spreads to the end of the root or the periapical tissues from where it affects the bone severely. A root canal procedure can help you save your natural tooth without any pain.
- Sometimes there is a formation of an abscess after the infection in the pulp which spreads beyond the roots. Along with the abscess, other conditions could occur if the treatment is delayed.
- Swelling in the area of infection that might spread to other parts of the face, neck or head
- Loss of the bone around the tooth that is affected
- Unconventional drainage can occur. The drainage could move into the gums or the skin via the cheeks.
Complications of a root canal treatment
Some complications could occur, but your dentist will always have a solution to it.
- Tooth discoloration: It is one of the most common complications but the reason, however, is not certain. Incomplete removal of the necrosed pulp might cause the discoloration of the tooth later. Certain materials used in a root canal treatment can also cause the staining. Lack of the pulpal pressure in dentinal tubules could also contribute to the staining due to the incorporation of the dietary stains.
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| Tooth Discoloration |
- Quality of the treatment: If the entire length of the root isn't cleaned out and filled with the gutta percha material it could lead to further complications or even the failure of the root canal treatment. It typically leads to the retreatment or extraction of the tooth.
- Sodium hypochlorite accident: If the solution enters the periapical space from the tooth, it could lead to severe pain along with swelling and clotting of the blood. It is the result of the syringe inserted by excessive pressure.
- Instrument fractures: There are chances of an instrument like endodontic file breaking during the cleaning and shaping of the root canal. It may lead to certain complications and could require a surgical root canal treatment.
Dr. Roman Fedorciw, a Berlin Dentist, recommends that you should visit your dentist as soon as you see the signs of tooth decay as delaying could lead to the loss of your tooth. So start with banishing the myth that the root canal treatment causes pain and it only relieves it.
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endodontic_therapy
- http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/r/root-canals
- https://smiledrs.com/root-canals/
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