Root canal treatment - what it is all about?
A root canal treatment is indicated if a tooth is badly decayed to the core or the tooth has become infected.
On the inside of every tooth there is a complex canal system that contains blood vessels and nerves. For many reasons, this canal system can obtain irreversible injury and result in infection and pain. The only way forward is to either get a root canal or get the tooth removed.
These pictures demonstrate the complexity of the canal system the dentist is often faced with.
Firstly, one must know that a root canal procedure takes time. Normally it takes 2-3 appointments.
During the first appointment of a root canal treatment, the dentist will locate the intricate canal system inside the tooth and clean out the canals with small files.
The infected tissue from within the canals is then flushed out with an irrigation solution. Medication is placed inside the canals to clear up the inflammation. A temporary filling will be placed until the next appointment.
During the final appointment, the canals are cleaned out and widened further with hand files and rotary files. The canals are then finally flushed and dried before it is permanently sealed.
Depending on the amount of tooth structure lost, the dentist might plan a crown (cap) over the tooth. This will protect the remaining fragile tooth structure from breaking under the biting forces.
Here at VitalDent, we have a passion for doing root canal treatments and thus saving teeth instead of having to remove them.