Root Canal Treatment (endodontics) is oftentimes feared by many and assumed that it is a painful procedure. However, people reported that the procedure itself is not painful, `but it is rather the tooth acting up causing the distraught and pain.

Root Canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly damaged or infected. This treatment is required to when the pulp which is composed of nerves, has been reached by bacteria and got damaged. This can happen after:

1. Tooth decay
2. Leaky Fillings
3. Damage to teeth due to trauma

An infected pulp should be treated immediately as it may cause more damage and make the pain more severe. If left untreated, the bacteria and other dying pulp can cause an infection or abscessed tooth. This is the puss-filled pocket that forms at the end a tooth’s root. The infection in the root canal can also cause (1) inflammation that may spread to the areas of the face, neck, and head, and (2) bone loss around the infected root

What are the signs to know that you need a root canal treatment?

Your dentist might right require you to have a dental x-ray to determine if the pulp has been damaged by the bacteria. Below are some symptoms to know if the infection has already spread in the root canal system.

1. Pain in the tooth when biting or chewing
2. Swelling of the gum and around the area
3. Swollen cheek and jaw
4. Severe pain in the tooth that sometimes reach the head
5. Discoloration or darkening of the tooth
6. Persistent reoccurring pimple filled with puss next to the tooth.

How is the Root Canal Treatment Performed

A root canal treatment requires one or more visits at the clinic. However, the time and length of the treatment depends on the dentist, patient, or how severe the infection is. Below is usually how a Root Canal treatment is done:

1. The dentist will first check how severely damaged the pulp is by advising you to have a dental x-ray and to check if there is any infection in the surrounding bone. This usually takes up as your first day visit for consultation but can also depend on the arrangement with your dentist.
2. Upon inspection, the next thing that your dentist will do is to numb the area using local anesthesia. This will beat the usual myth of how Root Canal treatment is painful.
3. Once the dentist has made sure that you are comfortable and at ease, your dentist will then start creating an access hole to remove the infected pulp along with other related bacteria and debris.
4. Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, the dentist will then seal the hole. Some dentists wait for a couple days before they seal the tooth. This usually happens when a dentists wants to clear the infection first by putting medication inside the tooth and putting a temporary sealing. Some dentists, seals the tooth within the day.
5. After successfully clearing the infection and filling the access hole, some dentists might recommend a dental restoration to make your tooth stronger and to last longer. With MS dental, we usually recommend having the root canal treated tooth capped “crowned” after the treatment to help prevent cracking of the teeth.

Root Canal After Care

For the first few days after the treatment, the tooth may feel sensitive and inflamed. This is usually relived by over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. It is important to take care of your tooth for the first few days after the treatment, and below are some after care tips to take note of:

1. Avoid hard foods if tooth is still too sensitive
2. Keep your teeth clean
3. Avoid high sugar foods
4. Avoid Smoking

Root canal treatment has high success rate of 9 out of 10. Some people fear the treatment and resorts to tooth extraction thinking that such procedure is painful. Dentists would highly encourage patients to save the tooth instead of having it extracted.

To learn more about this procedure, please visit Root Canal Treatment

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