Being told that they need to have a root canal procedure will quite likely cause a degree of consternation in many patients. For years, this treatment has been widely perceived as the benchmark for pain both in films and in general conversation. It is a much misunderstood dental procedure that probably gained its unwarranted reputation from the days before x-rays were routinely used.
The general belief is that without x-rays, it was impossible to tell if an abscess was present or not. As you can probably imagine, drilling into an abscessed tooth would not be a very pleasant experience at all for the patient!
Thankfully, things have changed for the better and the root canal procedure, while invasive, should not be feared and should cause no more discomfort than you would expect from most other dental treatments. The use of powerful local anaesthetics means that you should feel no significant discomfort during your treatment.
Loosely speaking, a tooth is composed of three parts; the hard enamel exterior, the softer layer beneath that, known as the dentin, and finally, the root canals. This area of the tooth contains a soft pulp material which includes tiny blood vessels and also the nerves of the tooth. Because of its location and special circumstances, a regular filling can’t be effectively used here.
The need for this treatment occurs when the soft pulp material in this area becomes infected. This can occur because bacteria has spread to this area from tooth decay or perhaps from damage to a tooth. When this happens, there are only two options available; extraction of the infected tooth or a root canal procedure.
Preparation
Once your teeth have been examined, we will take an x-ray of the tooth. This will not only confirm (or otherwise) that there is an infection in this area, but will also show if there are any abscesses present. If there are, then the root canal treatment will be postponed while the abscesses are treated. Once these have been eliminated, the treatment can commence.
The first stage is to provide the patient with a local anaesthetic as this is essential for the treatment to be carried out effectively and in comfort. A ‘rubber dam’ will also be used which helps to keep the tooth dry, helps to prevent any infection and also makes the procedure safer for the patient.
Accessing and preparing the tooth
Once the rubber dam has been applied, the dentist will typically remove a section from the top of the tooth. This is necessary to allow access to the infected root canals. The infected material will then be manually removed and the root canals thoroughly cleaned to prevent any reinfection from occurring.
Filling the tooth
Unlike a regular cavity, the canals are not filled using amalgam or a composite filling but use a special material known as Gutta Percha. This is used for its excellent sealant properties and will help to minimise the risk of re-infection.
Completing the tooth
While, in theory, the treatment could finish here, a crown will usually be added to the tooth. This not only helps to protect it but will provide it with additional strength as well as making it look as natural as possible.
Once this has been done, your root canal treatment at Purley Dental Care is complete.
Aftercare
A root canal treated tooth can provide a good level of strength but there are a couple of important factors to bear in mind. Firstly, although the tooth has been restored, it probably won’t be as strong as a healthy natural tooth. This would not be a major problem normally but, as the nerves of the tooth will have been removed during the treatment, you are likely to find it more difficult to judge how hard you are biting down on things. For this reason, we recommend that you don’t use this tooth to bite down on harder foods, but stick to softer food chewing in this area.
It is also important that you continue to clean the tooth well. The crown may be made from a man made material that won’t decay, but the rest of the natural tooth can and tooth decay could mean that the tooth needs to be extracted. Diligent brushing and flossing will help to ensure that your treated tooth stays healthy for a long time to come.
We hope that this introduction to what is sometimes a feared treatment will help to allay any anxiety and also explain what happens during it. If you would like any further advice on this, or would like to book an appointment with us, you can do so by calling Purley Dental Care on 020 8660 2928.
