Root Canal Treatment
We often refer to this procedure as “root canal therapy” or “endodontic therapy”. This treatment is needed in order to save a tooth with an unhealthy, painful nerve or “pulp”. The pulp in the center of the tooth may be dead. Decay is the primary reason for this occurrence, however, trauma to a healthy tooth, or trauma from very large restorations existing near the pulp can cause pulp problems. The tooth or surrounding area of the jaw may be infected with bacteria which will form an abscess. The presence of pain, swelling of the gums, extreme sensitivity to biting, hot or cold temperatures are all reasons to look for a diseased tooth that may require root canal therapy. There may be periods of time when the tooth is comfortable or the tooth may not have any symptoms at all. If this condition is left untreated, the infection can spread to adjacent areas, eventually the bacteria will spread into the bloodstream. A person in this situation can develop a fever, most people will feel ill. This is a severe challenge to your immune system, and can be dangerous to your health, if not treated. The only other option to RCT is to have the tooth removed.
The process of completing a root canal treatment starts with anesthetic to numb the tooth. A hole is created into the hollow canal space at the center of the tooth that contains the nerves and pulp. All of this dying or infected material inside the tooth is removed. The tooth is treated with a disinfectant. The space inside the tooth is shaped to accept a rubber root canal filling [gutta percha, similar to the core of a golf ball] to seal the tooth from future leakage. A temporary filling is placed until the root canal sealer cement has hardened. A final restoration is needed within a month to prevent leakage into the treated tooth. Many times a crown is needed to strengthen a tooth that has become weakened from decay and large previous restorations. We have come to expect years of service from teeth that are properly treated with root canal therapy.
We encounter some teeth with unusual circumstances; difficult canals to locate or access for treatment, symptoms that are not consistent with a definite diagnosis, or teeth requiring retreatment for reinfection. We often refer patients to see an endodontic specialist, who has advanced training in this specialized field, in order to successfully evaluate and treat more challenging conditions.
