What is Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal treatment is a type of treatment that allows a decayed or infected tooth to be repaired and saved. During this treatment, the nerve called ” pulp “, which is located in the hard tissue of the tooth, is removed. The inside of the tooth is also cleaned and then the gaps are filled.
If the tooth decays are not treated in time, the decay reaches even deeper and touches the nerves. This causes inflammation of the dental nerve and causes the person to experience severe toothache. The nerve removed from the tooth is of no importance to the person’s life. Moreover, it prevents the person from suffering pain. Nerve is only important for the sensation of heat and cold. If treatment is not done, abscesses will occur in different regions as well as infection over time.
Why is Root Canal Treatment Done?
The dental nerve can be damaged by caries or any damage to the tooth. In this case, inflammation occurs and if the dental nerve is damaged, the inflammation spreads around the tooth. Abscess formation affects the person very negatively. It causes severe pain and visible swelling in the face area. Therefore, it is very important to treat the abscessed tooth. Root canal treatmentis applied in such cases so that the person can lead a better quality of life.
How root treatment is made?
Canal treatment is performed bya specialist dentist or endodontist. An endodontist is an advanced specialist in the dental pulp or nerve. A suitable dentist should be selected according to the condition of the tooth. The primary step in root canal treatment is to take a dental x-ray and see if there is any inflammation in the surrounding bones.
Then, when the root canal treatment is started, the dentist will use a drug that will numb the area around the tooth. Sometimes anesthesia may not be needed because the dental nerve dies, but the dentist still uses anesthesia to relax the patient. During the treatment, a rubber is placed in the mouth so that the inside of the mouth is dry and free of saliva . The dentist will then drill an access hole into the root canal. Thanks to this hole, the harmful bacteria inside are removed along with the rotten nerve tissue.
The cleaning process takes place by means of root files. The rasps, the diameter of which is gradually increasing, are inserted into the root canal one by one, and the cleaning process continues. After this process, water or sodium hypochlorite is regularly used to clean the micro-residues coming out of the hole . When the inner part of the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, the gap is closed.
In which situations is root canal therapy applied?
Root canal treatment is usually applied to teeth with cavities or deep fractures. However, in some cases due to trauma, root canal treatment can be applied to the teeth. Root canal treatment has no limits, but it is not a recommended method for children.
How Long Does Root Canal Treatment Take?
Root canal treatment the duration varies according to the person’s tooth infection, the number of caries and the cleaning process of the nerves. Because in some cases, additional processing may be required. In this case, your doctor will give you the necessary information about the process. Root canal treatment may take up to 1 week depending on the infection status of the tooth . The treatment time is about 30-90 minutes.
It is beneficial not to use the treated tooth for a while during the root canal treatment period. In this way, both the inner part of the tooth is not contaminated and the tooth with weak structure is prevented from being damaged before it is supported.
Will There Be Pain After Root Canal Treatment?
Although root canal treatment is known as a painful process, it does not cause more pain than a normal filling procedure. The pain felt is not due to the treatment, but to the inflammation inside. A few days after the root canal treatment is completed, there may be sensitivity, especially if there is a cleared infection.
Things to Consider After Root Canal Treatment
There are some details that should be considered after root canal treatment. We can show them as follows;
- Hard and crusty foods should not be bitten until the root canal treatment is finished.
- Daily dental cleaning should be continued without interruption. Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day.
- prevent possible infections after root canal treatment, dental floss should be used once a day.
- Consumption of sticky and sugary foods should be suspended for a while after treatment.
- At the end of the treatment, the drugs recommended by the doctor should be used regularly.
these criteria, you can get good results from root canal treatment.