Saving a tooth should be the prime focus during oral rehabilitation. Endodontic procedures such as root canal therapy help restore oral function and improve your smile. Many specialists across the globe consider root canal therapy as a last resort to save your natural tooth.
Denver family dentist and their team offer comprehensive root canal treatment to eliminate pulpal infection and restore your tooth to its original form and function.
An introduction to root canal therapy
Root canal therapy, or treatment, is a common endodontic procedure that helps restore a badly damaged tooth. It is a non-surgical approach that involves the removal of the infected pulp from the root canals and replacing it with a biocompatible material such as gutta percha. Root canals are hollow chambers within your tooth roots that contain the pulp (a mass of connective tissue that consists of nerves and blood vessels and is responsible for providing nutrition to the tooth).
Indications of root canal therapy
Root canal therapy is often recommended by dentists when:
- Badly damaged teeth are beyond repair through regular dental fillings.
- The infection spreads to the tooth pulp, causing debilitating symptoms. These include:
- Severe pain in the tooth that does not subside easily, even with medications
- Extreme sensitivity to heat and cold foods
- Swollen and painful gums
- Abscess (pus-filled pocket) formation
- Tooth discoloration
- Pain when chewing or biting
- A chipped or cracked tooth
- Tooth mobility
The procedure involved in root canal therapy
Root canal therapy is a simple, painless, and non-invasive dental procedure that may require one to two dental visits. It involves the following steps:
- Administration of local anesthetic to numb the area around the affected tooth.
- Placement of rubber dam to isolate the tooth, preventing excess moisture.
- Excavation of the decayed tissues from the tooth surface.
- Gaining access to the root canals using rotary instruments.
- Removal of the pulp from the crown part (coronal pulp) and the root canals (radicular pulp), followed by cleaning and disinfecting them.
- Preparation (shaping) of the root canals using rotary files to fill them using gutta-percha.
- Sealing the gutta-percha sticks using an appropriate dental cement.
The final placement of the permanent crown will be done once the tooth heals. This helps to seal the tooth, preventing reinfection and restoring it to its original form and shape.
Final note
A pulp infection can be distressing. Root canal therapy is considered the most effective treatment and saves your tooth from extraction. The main aim is the elimination of the infection and restoration of the oral form and functionality.