Root Canal Treatment: A Simple Guide to Treatment and Steps

Restorative dentistry is the study, diagnosis, and integrated management of diseases of the teeth and their supporting structures and the rehabilitation of the dentition to functional and aesthetic requirements of the individual. As a dentist, our goal is to bring back your natural smile and prevent future oral health issues. In this article, we will discuss the importance of Root Canal Treatment (RCT) as many people hesitate to undergo this procedure, which often results in tooth loss.

Our teeth have three layers:

Enamel, dentin, and pulp. Dental caries start as a blackish discoloration either on the occlusal surface or on the sides of the tooth. If you have a small cavity on your teeth, it will not be painful. However, if left untreated, it will spread to your dentin layer, causing sensitivity. If you still don’t treat it at this stage, caries will spread to your pulp tissue, causing severe pain.

The main fact is that you won’t be aware of your tooth decay until it becomes painful, but the greatest truth is that if your tooth becomes painful, especially if you have night pain, the only way to save your teeth in that condition is to do a Root Canal Treatment. Ordinary fillings can’t help at this stage. If you still don’t treat your teeth, you may have to go for extraction, resulting in tooth loss. Some people believe that root canal treatment causes eye problems, headaches, etc. However, the nerve supply and blood supply of teeth are different, so you should not believe such claims.

Here comes the importance of RCT.

RCT is a dental procedure to completely remove and clean (debride) the inflamed/infected pulp from the root canal system of the tooth and fill (obturate) it with a material called gutta-percha, thus helping to prevent its recontamination.

Steps Involved in RCT

Step 1: Injection of local anesthesia to the tooth to be treated.

Step 2: Access opening – A small opening on the crown of the tooth is made to remove the infected pulp from the pulp chamber and the root canal. In order to irrigate the pulp chamber, endodontists use endodontic files.

Step 3: Obturation – After cleaning and shaping, a three-dimensional filling of the entire root canal system (obturation) is done using an obturating material, such as gutta-percha, to achieve a fluid-tight seal at the apical foramen and complete obliteration of the root canal.

Number of Visits

Nowadays, an RCT can be completed in a single visit. However, it may take two or more visits, depending on the extent of infection of the tooth and supporting tissues.

If we treat our teeth at the beginning itself, we can avoid further treatments. But if you are in a condition where you should do an RCT for your severely damaged teeth, never hesitate to do it. Saving your natural tooth is always better than having it extracted. It is important to remember that the tooth becomes weak and brittle after RCT, so it is necessary to place a crown over the tooth to provide structural strength and durability. So, it is crucial to seek the advice of a dental professional if you are experiencing any oral health issues to avoid further complications. Don’t hesitate to undergo RCT, it will surely save your teeth and bring back your natural smile.

Root Canal Treatment: A Simple Guide to Treatment and Steps