When is endodontic treatment necessary?
Endodontic treatment is necessary when the pulp, the soft tissue inside the root canal, becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes: deep decay repeated dental procedures on the tooth or a crack or chip in the tooth.
What are the indications for endodontic treatment?
Indications of Root Canal TreatmentChronic tooth pain radiating to the jaw, face, head, or other teeth.A pain-like sensation that lingers for more than a few seconds while consuming hot or cold items.Swollen or tender gums with pus collection.Pus from the infected tooth may cause an unpleasant taste or smell.More items...•
How can you tell which tooth needs a root canal?
The darkening of the gums is a sign that the gums are decayed. If there is an infection and the tooth is dying, the gums will begin to decay. This is a telltale sign that you may need a root canal. A chipped or cracked tooth is a two-fold sign of a tooth that may need a root canal.
When should a root canal treatment be applied?
Root canal treatment is needed when dental X-rays show that the pulp has been damaged by a bacterial infection. The pulp may become inflamed if it's infected by bacteria, allowing the bacteria to multiply and spread. The symptoms of a pulp infection include: pain when eating or drinking hot or cold food and drink.
What are the symptoms of a root canal infection?
The signs of root canal infection are:Persistent pain. Some people have persistent pain in their teeth. ... Extreme sensitivity. ... Swollen gums. ... Loose teeth. ... Foul taste in your mouth. ... Tender teeth and gums. ... Swollen glands or face pain. ... Pus around the root.More items...•
What are the 3 stages of root canal treatment?
Here are the detailed explanations the 3 stages of root canal treatmentExtirpation: Initial clean to control bacterial infection. ... Instrumentation: Thorough clean and medicine. ... Obturation: Filling the root canal.
How does an endodontist determine if you need a root canal?
The dentist will determine the need for a root canal through one or several of the following methods: x-rays, the cavity test, selective anesthesia (to identify where the source of pain is when the patient doesn't know), thermal and electric testing, or by tapping on the problem tooth.
Can an xray show need for root canal?
When you get an x-ray, this will give definitive proof that you need to get a root canal. The x-ray gives the dentist a clear view of any infection in the tooth especially one at the root of the tooth.
Who is not eligible for root canal treatment?
You are not eligible for root canal treatment if you are: suffering from high blood pressure/hypertension. take blood thinners (the endodontist may ask you to stop taking the blood thinners for a couple of days prior to the treatment) suffering from diabetes.
How long does a root canal last?
According to this report, 98 percent of root canals last one year, 92 percent last five years, and 86 percent last ten years or longer. Molars treated by endodontists had a 10 year survival rate, significantly higher than that of molars treated by general dentists.
Is root canal treatment better than extraction?
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
What is a Root Canal?
To understand root canal therapy, it is important to know about a root canal. Our teeth have several layers, and the pulp chamber is found at the center of the dentin. It contains nerves and blood vessels that nourish the teeth. However, the chamber can get infected due to bacteria, dental trauma, or multiple dental procedures.
How is Root Canal Procedure Is Done?
The procedure begins by numbing the area with local anesthesia. Then, the dentist will make an opening in the top of your tooth to clean out its pulp tissue and nerve endings. Next, he will fill the chamber with a material called gutta-percha filling, which helps prevent infection.
What Are the Risks of Root Canal Procedure?
Like any procedure, endodontic treatment has its risks. For example, the numbing medication used during endodontic treatment can cause excessive bleeding. If you have heart disease or diabetes, endodontic treatment may increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. Rarely, endodontic treatment can damage your jawbone or nerve.
What Can You Expect After A Root Canal Therapy?
Most people feel some pain and swelling after endodontic treatment. You can control any discomfort with pain-relieving medications. Your dentist may also prescribe medication to help ease the pain and prevent infection. Within a few days, the pain and swelling usually subside.
What Are the Root Canal Treatment Aftercare Instructions?
Do not eat or drink anything hot or cold during the first couple of days. You should also avoid chewing on the endodontic treatment area until it feels better. Smoking can slow down healing and increase your risk of infection, so it’s a good idea to refrain from smoking after endodontic treatment.
How long will the endodontic treatment last?
Endodontic treatment is a permanent solution to your tooth pain. Once your root canal therapy is completed, you should have no further problems with that tooth.
How Much Does Endodontic Treatment Cost?
The cost of endodontic treatment varies depending on the severity of the problem and the dentist’s rates. However, endodontic treatment is typically less expensive than tooth extraction and replacement with a dental implant.
What Is Endodontics?
Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that is concerned with diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries of the soft tissues (tooth pulp) inside the teeth. Endodontic therapy is commonly referred to as a root canal. However, a root canal is a hollow part of the tooth that houses the tooth pulp.
Why Do You Need Endodontic Treatment?
The primary reason for endodontic treatment is the inflammation and infection of the tooth nerve and pulp. The pulp of a tooth is responsible for the life of a tooth. Therefore, infection of the pulp can lead to the unnatural death of a tooth. Infection of the tooth pulp can arise from deep decay or leaking fillings.
