Endodontics (Root Canal)
The term root canal is not a treatment, but the canals are a part of a tooth. In essence, the root canals are a hollow segment of a tooth that consists of the pulp, nerve tissue, and blood vessels. A tooth comprises a crown and roots; the crown is the visible portion above the gum, while the roots are embedded in the gums. The roots help in attaching the tooth to the jawbone. The pulp is found inside the crown and the root. The pulp helps provide nourishment to the tooth and also moisture to the surrounding material. The nerves in the pulp are responsible for sensing the hot and cold temperatures, which may be the cause of pain.
The Root Canal treatment, which is a dental procedure, is, in fact, an endodontic therapy, which means inside the tooth. In most cases, a general dentist or endodontist will carry out a root canal procedure while you are under local anesthesia.
What are the key steps involved in a Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal therapy is accomplished in three steps, and it takes between one to three sittings to complete the entire procedure.
- Cleaning the root canal
To begin the procedure, the dentist will take out everything present inside the root canal. For this, the dentist will create a small access hole on the tooth’s surface and removes the diseased and dead pulp tissue with the help of a dental tool called files. The whole procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
- Filling the root canal
In the next step, the dentist will meticulously clean, shape, and disinfect the hollow area with the help of small files and irrigation solutions. Then, the tooth is packed with a rubber-like material, and the canals are entirely sealed by using adhesive cement. The tooth is totally dead after the root canal treatment. As the nerve tissue has been extracted and the infection has been eliminated, the patient will no longer sense any pain in the affected tooth.
- Fitting a crown or filling
After the extraction of the infected pulp, the tooth will now be more fragile than it was earlier. The treated tooth will continue to receive its nourishment from the ligament that attaches the tooth to the bone. However, this supply will be inadequate, and as a result, the tooth will become more brittle and possibly crack or break. A dental device like a crown or filling is needed to strengthen the tooth.
Hence the patient should not chew or bite on the affected tooth until it is fitted with a crown or filling. The person can start using the tooth as before once the crown or filling is done.
To know more, call us at (936) 564-2439 or schedule an online appointment with our dentists. We will be happy to guide you further.
