A Root Canal treatment is commonly done to treat severe tooth decay and treat infection of the damaged nerve deep inside the root canal.
Every tooth has highly sensitive nerve endings. Due to untreated tooth decay, the bacteria can induce inflammation to the inner dental root and cause severe pain. A Root Canal Treatment is also referred to as Endodontics and is a safe and reliable treatment option that helps save the natural tooth by removing the cause and stopping further decay.
Our teeth are precious, and it is essential to keep in mind that once we reach adulthood, these are the last set we will ever have! It is therefore vital to take care of them. If you suspect or feel that you may have a dental infection or a cavity, don’t hesitate to contact your Dentist today.
How to Identify the Symptoms of Root Canal Infection?
Although it is best advised to visit a dentist to determine a root canal infection or level of bacteria penetration, some of the critical symptoms of root canal infection may include:
- Tenderness of Gum
- Severe pain in the tooth or the surrounding area
- Excessive swelling
- Pain and discomfort while chewing or opening of the mouth
What Does a Root Canal Procedure Involve?
Within each root and under the gum line, lies a canal that offers nourishment to our tooth. These canals also contain the nerve endings that may sometime get infected or decayed. Root Canal treatment helps clean, fill and shape this canal to avoid the spread of decay to other teeth.
It is a highly skilled treatment that takes a bit of planning. Many people think that root canal treatments are painful. That is not entirely true. It has a high success rate and is invasive dentistry, which requires a local anaesthetic injection for a pain-free process.
Our Approach to Root Canal Treatment
At Dr Teeth Dental, we first discuss the treatment process, including the costs and aftercare. We offer our patients advanced sedation options so that you can remain conscious yet unable to feel any touch or pain during the entire procedure.
The process beings with the Dentist examining the nerve and canal of the tooth one final time before administrating a local anaesthetic injection to numb the area. He begins by drilling a small hole into the teeth to access the tooth canal and then delicately removes the infection and damaged nerve by making appropriate incisions. Next step is to clean, measure and shape the root canal using medical instruments. This process may take longer, depending on the level of tooth decay. Once the area gets rinsed and sanitised, the Dentist fills up the Root Canal with a unique substance and seals the gap.
At this point, the teeth are fragile and susceptible to break so the Dentist may offer you an option to add in a Dental Crown on top of the remaining portion of the teeth. A crown will help stabilise and prolong the teeth life by protecting it. You can further discuss more suitable options with your Dentist.
What Happens After a Root Canal Treatment?
The whole process is highly skilled and done over one or two sittings with a total recovery period ranging from a few days to a week. The last stage of a root canal treatment ideally will be to use a Dental Crown, but that depends from case to case.
Post-operative pain after a Root Canal treatment with slight discomfort is predictable, so nothing to worry. Your Dentist will provide you with medication for pain management if required for a few days. You may even feel sensitive or experience mild pain while eating, but that is ok. You may start eating a regular diet but avoid flossing initially.
Remember to contact your Dentist if you experience swelling or have symptoms that don’t seem to go away in a day or two.