What to Expect When Getting Root Canal Treatment
The root canal is a dental procedure performed by oral surgeons or dentists at their clinic to repair and preserve a tooth that is badly decayed or infected. An infection in the root canal can lead to abscess and cause swelling that may spread to the face, neck or head. With a root canal treatment, the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.
What happens during a root canal procedure?
Usually before getting a root canal treatment, your dentist may take a series of X –rays to get a clear picture of the root canal of the affected tooth in order to assess the extent of the damage.
This procedure is carried out under a local anesthetic to numb the specific area of the mouth. To ensure that your treatment is not painful, your dentist uses local anesthetic procedures. You may receive an anesthetic to your gum to feel no pain.
In order to keep the area surrounding the procedure free of saliva and prevent it from entering, a rubber dam is placed around the infected tooth. This rubber sheet dam prevents you from swallowing any chemicals used by your dentist during the procedure.
Table of Contents
Removing the pulp
To remove the infected pulp, your dentist will open the tooth by drilling a hole through the crown, which is the flat part at the top of the tooth. This will give access to the soft tissue in the root canal.The dentist will remove the infected pulp, bacteria, decayed nerve tissue that remains. This is called the pulpectomy.
If there is any pus filled swelling or a dental abscess, your dentist will drain it.
Cleaning and filling
Your dentist will thoroughly clean all the decay using a series of root canal files, These are small instruments which increase in diameter and help clean the canals of the tooth. They help enlarge the canals in order to give a regular shape to be filled.
This part of the treatment may at times run to several sessions as some dentists wait for a week or two to finish the root canal. This is to ensure that there is no discomfort and further infection. If this has to be carried over to several sessions, then the dentist will put some medication in the cleaned canal to kill the remaining bacteria. Then your tooth will be sealed with a temporary filling.
Sealing and fixing the tooth
During your next visit, the temporary filling and medication will be removed. IN the final stage of the treatment, the dentist will fill the canals with rubber filling material –gutta percha. Once the root canals are sealed then he will place a regular filling in the tooth.
Your dentist may suggest a crown over it to protect it from damage. A crown may be placed over your existing teeth.
You need not fear about a root canal procedure. For root canal treatment Dubai, you need to consult a dentist or a good oral surgeon for best results, otherwise, the only other alternative may be the removal of your infected tooth.
