Root canal treatment is the process of removing infected and inflamed tissue from the tooth's pulp and root canals, followed by cleaning and restoring the tooth to its normal function.
The tooth's pulp chamber and root canals contain the nerve tissue. Typically, front teeth may have 1-2 root canals, while back teeth may have 3-4 root canals.
Root canal treatment is necessary when a tooth is deeply decayed, reaching the pulp chamber, or when the tooth experiences trauma causing the pulp tissue to become infected, necrotic, and inflamed, which can eventually lead to bone destruction around the tooth root. Symptoms can range from no pain at all, intermittent pain, constant severe pain, swelling, or the formation of an abscess.
Root canal treatment typically involves the following steps:
1) Root canal treatment: The dentist will administer local anesthesia and use a thin rubber sheet (rubber dam) to isolate the affected tooth from the other teeth, ensuring a clean and dry environment for the procedure.
2) After that, the dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth, eliminating any damaged, inflamed, or infected pulp tissue until reaching the pulp chamber.
3) The dentist will clean the root canals and place medication inside the root canals to help eliminate any remaining infection and promote healing.
4) The root canals are sealed with a temporary filling to prevent reinfection and protect the area until the final filling is placed.
4.4 Other treatments that may be required with root canal therapy: After performing root canal treatment, the dentist will typically place a dental crown to protect the tooth from fracturing. Since root canal therapy is a complex procedure and often not completed in one visit, a crown is used to safeguard the tooth. Patients can choose the type of crown based on their needs, such as metal, ceramic, or zirconia crowns.
