Endodontic treatment is an often simple procedure to relieve dental pain and save damaged teeth. Patients usually need endodontic treatment if there is inflammation or infection in the roots of a tooth. Symptoms of a pulpal infection include:
As the infection progresses, these symptoms often go away as the pulp dies. Your tooth will appear healed by then, but the infection has actually spread through the root canal system.
A specialized endodontist treats the disease thoroughly by removing the pulp inside the tooth, cleaning it, disinfecting it and shaping the root canals. All of this should be followed by sealing the tooth at the root to allow the tooth to continue to function structurally, even if it is no longer viable.
The term endodontic treatment covers all aspects of the repair and treatment of a tooth whose pulp has been either damaged, exposed or destroyed by trauma or infection. Thus, endodontic treatment aims to restore the tooth as a fully functional entity.
The procedure of endodontic treatment in stages:
Before starting endodontic treatment, preliminary treatment of the teeth is necessary to eliminate cavities and sources of infection of the dental pulp. In the event of a fractured tooth that has reached the pulp or an infection associated with gum disease, it might be more difficult, if not impossible, to save the tooth in question.
Step 1
Local anesthesia is given by injection to numb the tooth to be treated and the surrounding tissue.
2nd step
Administration of a dental barrier to isolate the infected tooth from the rest of the mouth to make root canal treatment easier.
Step 3
A small access hole is drilled through the biting surface of the tooth allowing access to the pulp chamber and root canals for treatment.
Step 4
Diseased pulp tissue is removed from the tooth in question using special instruments
Step 5
The canals are disinfected with antiseptic and antibacterial solutions.
Step 6
The canals are shaped to accommodate root canal fillings and sealants.
Step 7
A filling material is then placed to seal the access hole that was made to treat the canals, and the dental dam is removed.
Step 8
After treatment is complete, the tooth will need a permanent restoration – a filling or crown – to replace the lost tooth structure and provide a complete seal at the top of the tooth. A general dentist will help you determine the type of dental restoration that is best for you.
