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Root Canal Therapy

Root Canal Therapy or Endodontic therapy is the treatment of pulp or nerve of the tooth affected by decay or infection.

The root canal system of a tooth contains the dental pulp and extends from the crown of the tooth to the end of the root. A single tooth can have more than one root canal. The pulp consists of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue and nourishes the tooth upon its first appearance. After the maturation of the tooth, the pulp can be removed from the pulp chamber.

An infection of the pulp (which can also spread to the end of the root canals) causes inflammation and swelling in the tissues around the end of the tooth. This leads to tooth pain and in extreme cases swelling of the face (dental abscess). Extraction of the tooth seems like a simple solution but may cause problems to adjacent teeth and can prove to be costlier.

Root Canal Therapy is an attempt to save the infected tooth and mainly involves removal of the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay, filling the root canal with special, medicated, dental materials, and finally sealing the tooth with a filling or crown thus restoring the tooth to its full function. In most cases, the inflamed tissue at the end of the tooth will heal naturally. Root Canal Treatment may also be needed in case of trauma and extensive dental restorative work.

A Root Canal Therapy at North Square Dental involves the following steps:

Anaesthetic to numb the treatment area: As a first step, a local anaesthetic is administered by a simple injection which will numb the area around the tooth. This makes the procedure less painful and no more unpleasant than a filling!
X-ray: Some of the infected pulp is removed via a small hole in the tooth and the root canals are measure through x-rays or a device called apex locator
Removal of Infected tissue: All infected tissue is then removed using special instruments and the canal is cleaned using an antiseptic solution
Filling: Once the root canal is clean, it is filled all the way to the roots using special, medicated materials. The tooth is then sealed with temporary or permanent fillings.

The treatment usually requires to be done in multiple appointments for a thorough elimination of the infection. Root Canal treatments are highly successful and usually last a lifetime, although on occasion, a tooth may have to be retreated due to new infections.

At North Square Dental, every attempt will be made to save the infected tooth and based on individual case, treatment plan and duration will be discussed with the patient. Care instructions will also be given after each appointment. Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental appointments will help maintain the life of the root canal treatment.