Root Canal Treatment (RCT)

Why does the Tooth Pulp needs to be removed?

Once the bacteria have infected the tooth pulp present in the roots of the tooth, they start to multiply rapidly. This may lead to formation of abscess  in the tooth as well as the jaw bone beyond the tooth. The patient can feel extreme pain because of this. There is no way to treat the pulp of the tooth for infection once it has spread into it. Hence the Dentist needs to remove the pulp completely and disinfect the pulp chamber for any kind of residual infection. In some severe cases of abscess formation, the abscess leads to resorption of jaw bone that is keeping the tooth intact, and hence can damage the stability of the tooth as well the adjoining teeth.

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How Painful Is a Root Canal?

Root canal procedure has a false reputation of being painful, but in reality it is not. It is more or less equally discomforting like a tooth filling. A root canal treatment would rather relieve you from the pain caused by the infection.

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What Should One Expect After the Root Canal?

For the initial few days following the completion of a root canal treatment, the treated tooth may feel a little sensitive, as a recent procedure is performed on it. Especially, if there was severe infection or pain before the procedure. Most patient with initial stages of infection, feel no pain or discomfort from the very next day of the treatment.

Only a few extreme cases where there is severe infection or abscess formation, can experience pain or discomfort during as well as a few days after the treatment. Your dentist will recommend an antibiotic accompanied with a pain killer to relieve you from this pain to a certain extent.

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Until your root canal procedure is finished & the permanent filling or crown is placed, it is advised for you to not chew from the side where the tooth is being treated. This will help damage to the teeth as well as any chances of re-contamination during the treatment.

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How successful are Root Canals?

Root canal procedures are highly successful; with more than a 95% success rate. A teeth fixed with a root canal and fitted with a proper dental crown can even last a lifetime. The skills of the operation dentist are a major factor that decides the longevity of the treatment. Our team of Dentist are well trained in all types of root canal cases. But like any other medical procedure, a root canal treatment can fail due to any unwanted circumstances. The chances of this while the procedure is dome is less than 2%. After the procedure is done, it mostly depends of the patients oral hygiene.

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Complications of Root Canal Treatment

Despite the dentist's best efforts to treat and disinfect  tooth, new infections might emerge after a root canal treatment. The most likely reasons for this include:

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• Any unseen / undetected root canal in the tooth. ( certain ancillary canals are sometimes not visible by the eye or microscope or even by x-rays.

• Any undetected crack in any of the roots of a tooth.

• Sometimes there could be infection in adjacent tooth that can reinfect the previously root canal treated tooth,

• If there is is no proper dental crown or onlay placed over the root canal treated tooth, there are chances of a breakdown of the inner sealing material over time. This allows bacteria to recontaminate the inner areas of the root canal treated tooth

Many times re-treatment of the tooth can be successful, else some endodontic surgery could be tried in order to save the tooth. A very common endodontic surgical procedure is an apicoectomy . This procedure involves the cutting off of the apex (the very end of the root towards jaw bone) of the infected tooth. It relieves the inflammation or infection in the bony area around the end of your tooth that continues after root canal treatment.