Root canal service page

Root canal therapy is a dental procedure used to ease the pain caused by an infected or abscessed tooth.

An abscessed tooth is a pus-filled pocket produced by a bacterial infection. Abscesses can form in various locations around a tooth for a variety of reasons, affecting not only the involved tooth but also the surrounding bone and, in some cases, adjacent teeth.

If the pulp deep inside the tooth becomes infected as a result of an injury or an untreated cavity, a root canal is required. The infamous pain of a root canal occurs prior to the procedure.

A root canal allows the damaged part of the tooth (and thus the pain) to be removed while the tooth’s outer structure is preserved. It is also a less expensive and faster process than extraction.

What are the signs that you may require root canal therapy?
You may be unaware in case you have an infected tooth but many people, however, notice certain symptoms. The following is common evidence that you might need a root canal:

1. Tooth pain that won’t go away: Tooth pain can be caused by a variety of dental issues. If you have discomfort deep within your tooth, you may need root canal therapy. Your jaw, face, or other teeth may be in discomfort as well.
2. Heat and cold sensitivity: If drinking hot coffee or eating ice cream causes pain in your tooth, you may require root canal therapy.
3. Swollen gums and jaw: When a tooth becomes infected, pus can collect in the surrounding area. As a result, your jaw may become visibly large.Occasionally, pus does not drain from the site. As a result, your jaw may swell visibly.
4. Pimple or boil on the gums: You may get a pimple or boil on your gums. Pus from the infected tooth may drain from the pimple, leaving a bad taste or odour.
5. Tooth discolouration: This occurs when the pulp of a tooth becomes infected, causing the tooth to appear darker. The reason for this is a shortage of blood supply to the tooth.
6. When you apply pressure to your tooth, you may experience pain. This could mean that the nerves that surround the pulp have been injured.
7. A chipped or cracked tooth: If you crack a tooth in an accident while playing sports or by biting down on something hard, bacteria can enter the tooth pulp.
8. Loose tooth: A tooth that is infected may feel looser. This is due to the fact that the pus from an infected pulp can soften the bone that supports the tooth.

Causes of tooth infections?

If you belong to one of the below categories, you are more likely to develop a tooth infection:

1. Smoking: Smokers are roughly twice as likely as non-smokers to develop tooth infections.
2. Dehydration: Bacteria thrive in a dry mouth with a little saliva. Excessive consumption of coffee can also dehydrate the body.
3. Poor dental hygiene: Irregular brushing, flossing, and getting dental cleanings on a regular basis increases the chances of developing bacteria in the tooth.
4. Weak immune system: Diseases or medications can reduce your immune response, making it more difficult to fight germs.

Who should perform my root canal procedure?

A general dentist or a professional endodontist performs root canal therapy. A general dentist often treats teeth near the front of the mouth with fewer roots. If you require root canal therapy on a tooth that has multiple roots, or if the case is complicated, you may need an experienced endodontist.

What Happens When You Avoid Root Canal Treatment?

A tooth infection, if left untreated, can spread to the jawbone, soft tissues of the face and neck, and beyond. In extremely rare cases, the infection can spread to the heart (endocarditis) and brain cells (bacterial meningitis).

If you are advised to have a root canal, the pulp within your tooth is certainly infected. If left alone, it has the freedom to spread its wings from the tooth to the gum and the jawbone surrounding the infected pulp. If the infection is severe and untreated, you may lose a tooth or part of your jaw, develop dental abscesses, or suffer a life-threatening stroke, sepsis, or heart attack. The pain will become excruciating as the infection progresses.

Alternatives to Root Canal

When general dentistry recommends a root canal that you are hesitant to have, your only option is to have the tooth extracted. The only alternative to a root canal is extraction, but saving your natural tooth is preferable. Extraction should only be used as a last resort and should never be your first choice because you are afraid of a root canal.

DSS CareTip: The extraction will not relieve you from the pain that you are suffering from but will heap more pain on you because you will need replacements for the tooth in the form of bridges or dental implants that are not just painful but will also cost you a significant sum of money as a tooth replacement option. Therefore it is suggested that you compare the costs of having root canal treatment with the costs of dental bridges or dental implants and discuss with our dental care experts to make an informed decision to undergo root canal treatment.

Is the Procedure Painful?
Despite a bad reputation for being painful, modern dentistry technology at Designer smile studio has ensured that root canals are no more painful than getting a dental filling. You must understand that you will be given local anaesthesia before the procedure begins. Before drilling a tiny hole in the surface of your tooth to access the canals, the endodontic surgeon performing the treatment will ensure you are completely comfortable. To remove the infection from the tooth, our expert doctors will use small files to remove the infected pulp from the canals.

After the initial steps are completed, the endodontic surgeon will disinfect the canal and fill it with gutta-percha, a rubber-like material, before sealing the tooth to protect it. After the procedure, you will be free to leave with some discomfort in your jaw, which is a natural side effect of any dental procedure.

Because the treatment would have made the tooth fragile, making it prone to fractures and cracks, you will need to return to our clinic to have a crown placed over the tooth that underwent the endodontic procedure. In most cases, root canals are highly successful and help to preserve the tooth. The treatment relieves you of your pain, allowing you to live a pain-free life.

State Of The Art Root Canal Treatment

The first step is to ensure your comfort by numbing or freezing the tooth or infected area with a local anaesthetic. Then, a small protective sheet known as a “dental dam” is placed over the tooth to create a sterile field, preventing bacteria from entering the tooth through saliva. This protective sheet is also used to keep debris, disinfectants, or instruments from accidentally falling down your throat during the root canal treatment.

Root-Canal-Access: Following the above procedure, an opening is made through the crown of the tooth to gain access to the inflamed or infected pulp. This step also includes the removal of decay and, in some cases, old fillings. The root canal system is cleaned using state-of-the-art instruments and disinfectants. This procedure also includes shaping the canal spaces in preparation for a root canal filling, which is made of a biocompatible material called gutta-percha and is permanently inserted into the canals with cement.

Root-Canal-Filling: Finally, a temporary filling is placed in your tooth to close the opening. When the tooth is restored, usually with a crown, our expert doctors will remove the temporary filling. Your tooth is vulnerable to fracture or infection following root canal treatment due to the loss of the temporary filling. As a result, it is critical that you return to our clinic after a period of 2-3 days in order to restore the tooth to full functionality.

How long does root canal recovery take?

Root canal recovery usually takes less than a week. Mild discomfort may persist for a few days, but it is treatable with medication. Visit our clinic or contact us via email or phone if you have severe pain or discomfort that lasts more than a week.