Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment is performed when a tooth's pulp becomes irreversibly inflamed. It is the last chance to avoid extracting the tooth. The pulp (the soft tissue inside the tooth) dies when it is damaged beyond its ability to repair itself. This is usually caused by microorganisms in cracked teeth or deep cavities. Organisms multiplying in the dead pulp tissue cause inflammation inside the tooth. If the damaged or diseased pulp is not removed, the tooth and the tissues around it become exposed to infection and the tooth is eventually lost completely.

The main aim of root canal treatment is to preserve the hard tissues of the tooth so it can remain in the mouth longer. This protects the surrounding tissue and bone, preventing chewing and aesthetic problems from the outset. Even if a root-canal-treated tooth discolours later, its natural colour can be restored with whitening.

Thanks to anesthetic drugs, patients feel no pain during treatment. However, there may be some sensitivity or pain for a few days after treatment. All these complaints are relieved with low-dose analgesics (pain relievers).

The duration of root canal treatment generally depends on how damaged the tooth is. A temporary dressing may need to be placed until the pain and inflammation in your tooth subside. This can take a few sessions. Another important point to note in root canal treatments is the frequency of sessions. Patients must keep their appointments and follow the appointment frequency recommended by the dentist. Research shows the success rate of root canal treatment is 97%.

Conditions requiring root canal treatment;

– Prolonged sensitivity to hot and cold

– Pain that occurs while chewing

– Pain that gets worse especially at night

– Discolouration occurring in teeth

– Swelling occurring in the gum

Stages of root canal treatment

First, an anesthetic drug is applied to the tooth so the treatment is painless.

Next, the decay in the tooth is cleaned out, and diseased, soft tissue is removed. Nerve and tissue remnants are cleaned away.

The root canal is shaped down to the tip of the root. The canals are irrigated with disinfectant and antimicrobial solutions to speed up healing.

Between sessions, the tooth is covered with a temporary filling material until it heals. Once it is understood that the growth of the infection has stopped, and the infection coming from the root tip has ended, the inside of the canal is filled with a special filling material all the way to the root tip.

In some patients none of these extra sessions are needed at all, and root canal treatment can be completed successfully in a single session.

Once the canal has been filled, a normal filling or crown is placed on the visible part of the tooth in the mouth.

If the tooth does not become infected again and preventive measures against decay are taken, this filling can be used for a lifetime.

Regular dental check-ups let you catch the onset of infection. Because root-canal-treated teeth are now dead, they no longer have the ability to nourish or repair themselves. This is why they can become brittle years later; since they cannot withstand chewing pressure as well, placing a crown on a root-canal-treated tooth can extend the tooth's lifespan.