Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment is a form of treatment that must be applied due to irreversible damage to the living tissue (pulp) in the teeth due to reasons such as decay, trauma, gum disease. In most cases, root canal treatment is the last treatment other than tooth extraction. While root canal treatment is applied to the root part of the tooth, filling is applied to the upper part of the tooth.

In addition to the aesthetic advantages of healthy teeth, it is known to have an effect on our general health status. Dental caries, when left untreated, causes serious problems such as bad breath, as well as some tooth sensitivity due to abscesses in the mouth, gum diseases and tooth loss in the later stages. The most important issues that require root canal treatment are deep cracks, infections in the tooth root and inside the tooth. These pains reach up to the jawbone and prolong the treatment process. The priority of the treatment is to relieve the pain of the patient and to heal the aching tooth by removing the pulp in the tooth so that the patient can use the tooth in a healthy way. When the living parts inside the teeth are damaged for any reason, their ability to heal is very limited. When they cannot heal, they cause severe pain in the short term, infection in the long term and destruction of surrounding tissues. For these reasons, root canal treatment is performed to clean the damaged tissues and heal the damages.

How is root canal treatment performed?

• Root canal treatment is diagnosed after examination and radiographic examination of the patient. During the examination, antibiotics can be started if necessary, but antibiotics do not need to be used for every root canal treatment, treatment can be started immediately.

• First, the patient is anesthetized and if a root canal treatment is to be performed due to decay, the decay is first cleaned. If there is no loss of material in the tooth, canal treatment is started by preparing a suitable space in the tooth to reach the root canals of the teeth. With the help of various hand tools, burs and canal files, the tissues in the root are cleaned and shaped. After these procedures, the cavity is filled with appropriate materials and the root canal treatment is completed.

• Drying the tooth if it is infected,

• Cleansing the tooth from caries,

• Removal of the dental nerve and cleaning of the tooth,

• Filling the root canals after waiting for a certain period of time with antiseptic placed in the tooth canal,

• Taking the necessary precautions to prevent re-infection and repairing any damage to the outer area of the tooth.

• Root canal treatment is performed by a dentist, endodontic specialist if deemed necessary. Root canal treatment takes one or two sessions depending on the root structure of the tooth, the infection status of the tooth and the number of teeth to be treated. Sessions are 45 minutes on average and can be completed in three sessions depending on the infection status. Since local anesthesia is applied, there is no pain during the treatment.

• There is the outer chrome part that provides the aesthetic appearance of our tooth and the vascular nerve package that gives the tooth its vitality, starting from the middle of the tooth and extending to the root tip. We call this part pulp tissue. With the infection occurring in this part, a painful process such as swelling in the tooth, hot and cold sensitivity in the tooth is experienced.

• Before root canal treatment is applied, the tooth is anesthetized with solutions suitable for the tooth and the dental nerves are removed. For this reason, root canal treatment pain is not felt. In case of abscess and cyst in the root of the tooth, some pain may be felt during the procedure.

• After root canal treatment, pain may occur as the effect of anesthesia wears off. In this case, painkillers and sprays recommended by the physician can be used. If the pain does not go away, the endodontic specialist should be consulted again.

• After root canal treatment, food should not be consumed for a minimum of 2 hours until the numbness disappears, and hot and cold drinks should be avoided for two days as there may be hypersensitivity. These precautions aim to prevent further damage to the temporarily weakened tooth or teeth during the treatment process.

• During the healing process after root canal treatment; soft foods should be fed and the consumption of sticky and sugary foods should be suspended. In terms of long-term dental health, it is recommended to consume such foods at a low level.

• Even after the root canal treatment is completed, hard and crusted foods should not be consumed, dental floss should be used once a day for dental cleaning and brushed at least twice a day with a toothbrush suitable for the tooth structure.

• Pain may occur after root canal treatment. In this case, painkillers and sprays recommended by the physician can be used. If the pain does not go away, the endodontic specialist should be consulted again.

• Root canal treatment is an application with a high success rate. The endodontically treated tooth can be used for a lifetime with general dental health care. Dental examinations should be performed at least twice a year for general dental health.

• Antibiotics may need to be used before, during or after treatment. Your dentist will tell you this after the examination or treatment. It is not necessary to use antibiotics before and after every root canal treatment.

• Since root canal treatment involves the treatment of damage to the root of the tooth, if root canal treatment is not performed, a path up to the loss of the tooth will be taken. infection can reach the tissues at the root tip and cause an abscess here. This situation can cause severe pain and a negative impact on the normal life of the person, as well as the loss of the tooth adjacent to the infected tooth.