Root Canal Treatment in South Delhi

Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment is done to repair and save a badly damaged or infected tooth. The procedure involves removing the damaged area of the tooth (the pulp), cleaning and disinfecting it and then filling and sealing it. The common causes affecting the pulp are a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, repeated dental treatment to the tooth or trauma. The term “root canal” comes from cleaning of the canals inside the tooth’s root.

What to Expect During a Root Canal

If you think you need a root canal, consult your dentist. There are a number of steps that occur over a few office visits.

• X-ray – if a dentist suspects you may need a root canal, he will first take X-rays or examine existing X-rays to show where the decay is located.
• Anesthesia – local anesthesia is administered to the affected tooth. Contrary to popular belief, a root canal is no more painful than a filling.
• Pulpectomy – an opening is made and the diseased tooth pulp is removed.
• Filling – the roots that have been opened (to get rid of the diseased pulp) are filled with gutta-percha material and sealed off with cement.

Rebuilding the Tooth

A temporary filling material is placed on top of the gutta-percha to seal the opening. The filling remains until the tooth receives a permanent filling or a crown. A crown, sometimes called a cap, looks like a natural tooth. It is placed over the top of the tooth.

Extra Support

In some cases, a post is placed into the root next to the gutta-percha. This gives the crown more support.

It is imperative that all root canal treated teeth be capped to prevent them from fracture.

Signs You May Need a Root Canal

Pulp infection does not always announce itself in the same way. Some teeth are extremely painful, others are quietly infected and are only picked up on a routine X-ray. Common signs include:

• A toothache that lingers, throbs, or wakes you at night.
• Sharp pain when biting or putting pressure on one particular tooth.
• Sensitivity to hot or cold that continues long after the hot or cold food is gone.
• Swelling or tenderness of the gum next to a tooth, or a recurring pimple-like swelling on the gum.
• A tooth that has darkened or discoloured compared with its neighbours.
• A deep cavity, a cracked tooth, or a tooth that has been knocked in an injury.

If you have any of these, see a dentist promptly. Pulp infection does not resolve on its own, and treating it early is simpler than treating an abscess that has spread into the bone.

How Long Does Root Canal Treatment Take?

It depends on the tooth. Front teeth usually have a single root and one canal; back teeth (molars) have two or three roots and generally three or four canals, so they take longer to clean and shape. Straightforward cases can often be completed in a single longer appointment; teeth with a large infection, a curved canal or a previous failed treatment are usually completed over two or three visits, with a dressing placed inside the tooth in between.

During treatment the tooth is isolated with a rubber dam so that saliva and bacteria cannot re-enter the canals, and the canals are cleaned and shaped with fine instruments and disinfecting solutions. X-rays are taken during the procedure to confirm that the canals have been cleaned and sealed to the correct length.

Recovery and Aftercare

Your tooth may feel tender for a few days, particularly on biting, as the tissues around the root settle. This is normal and can usually be managed with the pain relief your dentist recommends. Avoid chewing hard food on the treated tooth until the permanent filling and crown are in place, because a tooth with an open access cavity or a temporary filling is more likely to crack.

Once the crown is fitted, the tooth is looked after exactly like a natural tooth: brush twice daily, clean between the teeth, and attend six-monthly check-ups so that the seal, the surrounding gum and the bone at the root tip can be reviewed.

Root Canal or Extraction?

An infected tooth can always be removed instead, but saving the natural tooth is generally the better option. Root canal treatment is a routine procedure with a high success rate, and keeping your own tooth preserves the bone around it and stops the neighbouring and opposing teeth from drifting into the gap. If a tooth is removed, the space usually has to be replaced later with an implant or a bridge, which is a longer and more involved route than treating the tooth in the first place.

Root Canal Treatment at SouthEx Dental

At SouthEx Dental in South Extension II, root canal treatment is carried out under local anaesthesia with magnification, rubber dam isolation and radiographic checks at every stage. We explain what we have found, what the tooth needs, and what the alternatives are before starting, and we plan the final crown as part of the treatment rather than as an afterthought. To arrange an assessment, call +91-9810669747.