Root canal therapy is a dental procedure that involves removing the infected or damaged pulp from inside a tooth, cleaning the canals, and sealing the tooth to prevent further damage or infection. The pulp is the soft tissue that contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue, located in the center of the tooth.
Root canal therapy is needed when the pulp inside a tooth becomes infected or damaged due to decay, trauma, or other factors. If left untreated, the infection can spread to the surrounding teeth and gums, causing pain and other complications. Root canal therapy can help to save the tooth and prevent the need for extraction.
Root canal therapy typically involves several steps, including:
Your dentist will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area around the affected tooth, then create a small hole in the top of the tooth to access the pulp and remove it.
Your dentist will use special tools to clean the canals and remove any remaining infected or damaged tissue.
Your dentist will fill the canals with a special material to prevent further infection.
Your dentist will seal the tooth with a temporary filling or crown to protect it.
while a permanent restoration is being created.
In the early stages of a tooth pulp infection,patients may not necessarily experience pain. However, if your tooth starts to darken in color, it may indicate that the nerve of the tooth is dying or is already dead. At this point, you should make an appointment to see a dentist for an examination.
If the tooth pulp becomes further infected, it may spread to the periodontal tissues and alveolar bone, leading to the formation of an abscess around the tooth. At this stage, the patient's pain will progressively worsen.
Many people are concerned about the potential pain associated with root canal therapy. However, with modern techniques and anesthesia, root canal therapy is typically not a painful procedure and is often comparable to getting a routine filling.
The length of time it takes to complete root canal therapy depends on several factors, including the location and complexity of the affected tooth, the extent of the damage or infection, and the individual patient's anatomy and healing response. In general, root canal therapy can take anywhere from one to three appointments, and each appointment may last from 30 minutes to two hours. Your dentist can provide you with more information on what to expect during the procedure and how to care for your tooth after root canal therapy.
