This term is often misunderstood and feared but this common dental procedure can save your tooth, painlessly! If you have a tooth that has a diseased nerve, it can often be saved through a specialised dental procedure called endodontic therapy – also known as root canal treatment.
Root canal treatment (endodontics) treats disorders of the nerve (also called the pulp) of the tooth. It used to be that a tooth with a diseased or infected nerve had to be removed. In most cases today, however, this is no longer true. We believe in saving teeth (instead of removing them) and will make every effort to help you keep your teeth for a life-time.
To help you understand this procedure, we have answered some often asked questions about this treatment.
What is root canal treatment/endodontic therapy?
This is the area of dentistry concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the dental pulp. Years ago, teeth with diseased or injured pulps were extracted. Today endodontic treatments give dentists a safe and effective means of saving teeth.
What is dental pulp?
The pulp is the soft tissue that contains nerves, veins, arteries and other tissue of the tooth. It lies within the dentine, the bone-like tissue that supports the enamel. The pulp is important during a tooth’s growth and development. The pulp extends from the pulp chamber in the crown (portion of the tooth visible above the gums) down to the tip of the root by way of the root canal. All teeth have one pulp chamber, but teeth with more than one root will often have more than one root canal.
Once a tooth is fully mature it can survive without the pulp because the tooth is continuously nourished by the blood supply surrounding it.
What makes root canal necessary?
When the pulp is diseased or injured and unable to repair itself, the pulp dies. The most common cause of pulp death is tooth fracture (often caused by trauma) or a deep cavity that exposes the pulp to saliva. The bacteria found in saliva can cause infection inside the tooth. Left untreated, the infection eventually causes the pulp to die. Pus can build up at the root tip, forming an abscess that can destroy the supporting bone that surrounds the tooth. This can be severely painful if drainage does not occur.
What are the symptoms of pulp damage?
Symptoms of pulp damage include pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat and cold, discolouration of the tooth, pain whilst chewing or biting and swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums. Sometimes there are no symptoms.
Why does the pulp need to be removed?
If the damaged or diseased pulp is not removed, the tooth and surrounding tissues become infected. Pain and swelling may accompany the infection. Even in the absence of pain, certain by-products of a diseased pulp can injure the bone that anchors the tooth in the jaw. Without endodontic treatment, the tooth will eventually have to be removed.
What does the treatment involve?
Once x-rays and a clinical examination have determined that root treatment is necessary, a series of appointments will be scheduled (hopefully the treatment can de concluded in a single visit). It is important that these appointments happen on time in order to prevent delays in treatment and healing that can affect the outcome. It is also essential that any antibiotics and other medication be taken as directed in order to hasten healing and reduce any swelling.
During treatment the diseased pulp is removed. The pulp chamber and root canal(s) of the tooth are then cleaned, shaped, filled and sealed to prevent recontamination of the root canal system. Root canal therapy is usually a relatively painless procedure.
How is the treatment done?
Root canal treatment (endodontics) treats disorders of the nerve (also called the pulp) of the tooth. It used to be that a tooth with a diseased or infected nerve had to be removed. In most cases today, however, this is no longer true. We believe in saving teeth (instead of removing them) and will make every effort to help you keep your teeth for a life-time.