Endodontics ( from the Greek endo “inside” odons “tooth” ) is one of the specialities in dentistry thatdeals with the study, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of tooth pulp (blood supply, nerves of tooth) and tissues surrounding roots of teeth. Commonly called “root canal treatment”, endodontic services aim to save the patient’s natural teeth by restoring diseased teeth back to health and function.
Saving your natural tooth should always be your first choice when dental care is needed, and is the preferred choice over tooth extraction. Nothing, not even the most advanced bridges and implants, can truly replace your natural tooth. Endodontics can often save even the severely injured teeth.
Our clinic performs root canal treatment, root canal re-treatment and other procedures to treat the inner tooth and roots and to restore natural teeth back to function through placement of fillings or crowns.
Root canal treatment is one type of endodontic treatment that saves your natural tooth. During root canal treatment, the diseased pulp (blood supply and nerves) of the tooth is removed using special instruments and disinfecting solutions. The cleaned and disinfectedroot canal space is then filled with an inert material and sealed. Lastly the tooth is specially shaped and covered with an artificial tooth crown (cap).
Endodontic treatment is necessary when the pulp, the soft tissue inside the root canal, becomes inflamed or infected because of deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth. Injury to a tooth may cause damage inside the tooth, even if there are no visible chips or cracks. If left untreated, inflammation or infection can cause pain or further damage to the teeth and gums.
See your dentist if you have:
Pain
Long-Term Sensitivity To Heat or Cold
Tenderness When Touching Your Teeth or Chewing
Discoloration Of The Tooth
Swelling, Drainage And Tenderness In Your jaw or Neck As Well As Nearby Bone And Gums After Evaluation By Your Regular Dentist You May Be Referred To An Endodontist. Note, Though, That Sometimes You Can Require Endodontic Treatment When You’ve Had No Symptoms.
The endodontist removes the affected pulp tissue inside the tooth, carefully cleans and shapes the root canals, and then fills and seals the space. The endodontist will then place a filling or crown on the tooth. After restoration, the tooth will function like any other tooth.
An endodontist is a dentist who takes additional three years post=graduate training to perform endodontic treatment procedures. Simply put, he is your “root canal specialist”.
With rotary instrumentation techniques available, root canal treatment can be completed in single sitting most of the times with a maximum of two sittings in some cases.
Usually yes. The tooth needs to be made numb by administering a local anesthetic solution.
No. With modern techniques and anesthesia, most patients are comfortable during endodontic procedures.
For the first few days after treatment, your tooth may feel sensitive, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure. This discomfort can be easily relieved with over-the-counter or prescription medications.
You should not chew or bite hard things on the treated tooth until treatment is completed with a permanent filling or crown. Otherwise, you only need to practice good oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and regular checkups and cleanings.
Most endodontically treated teeth last as long as other natural teeth. In a few cases, a tooth that has undergone endodontic treatment does not heal or the pain continues. Occasionally, the tooth may become painful or diseased months or even years after successful treatment. When this occurs, the endodontic procedure may need to be repeated to save the tooth.
Occasionally, a tooth can’t be saved because the root canals are not accessible, the root is severely fractured, the tooth doesn’t have adequate bone support or the tooth cannot be restored. However, advances in endodontics are making it possible to save teeth that even a few years ago would have been lost. When endodontic treatment is not effective, endodontic surgery may be able to save the tooth.
(1) Local anesthetic is administered to numb the tooth.
(2) The endodontist gains entry through the tooth into the pulp and rootcanals.
(3) Specialised instruments called files are used to clean out the infection from the rootcanals and to shape root canals. This step can be done with hand or rotary instruments.
(4) Disinfecting solutions are used to clear the debris and create a infection-free tooth.
(5) The cleaned and shaped root canal space is now filled with an inert, biocompatible, rubber-like material called guttapercha. This completes root canal filling.
(6) The opening in the tooth is closed with a material called “core”.
(7) Finally the restored tooth is prepared to receive a crown (cap) to restore it to full strength and function.
(8) If a tooth lacks sufficient structure additional support is gained by placing posts/pins inside the tooth.
As occasionally happens with any dental or medical procedure, a tooth may not heal as expected after initial endodontic treatment for a variety of reasons. These could include complicated canal anatomy that was undetected in the first root canal procedure, the delay in placement of a crown or other restoration, or an insufficient restoration. Sometimes new problems may jeopardize a tooth that was already treated, such as new decay, a loose, cracked or broken filling, or a tooth fracture. Often, when this happens, revision of the previous treatment may be performed to save the tooth.
During endodontic retreatment, the endodontist will regain access to the root canal filling material. After removing the canal filling, the endodontist can clean the canals and carefully examine the inside of the tooth, searching for any hidden canals or unusual anatomy that requires treatment.