About Root Canals

A root canal is a dental treatment used to treat a tooth with damaged pulp or nerve tissue. In this procedure, a dentist or endodontist drills a hole into the tooth to access the tooth's inner chamber, then removes the tissue and cleans away debris. After a root canal, the tooth is usually restored with a crown to retain normal function and appearance.
  1. Function

    • Once a tooth has emerged from the gums, the tissue inside is no longer necessary for the tooth's health or function. Its only purpose is to cause pain, which alerts you if a tooth is infected or injured. Severe pain and infection often result if the pulp becomes injured or infected. By removing the pulp, pain is relieved and infection in the tooth is much less likely to occur. In general, the only long-term side effect of a root canal is that the treated tooth becomes insensible to cold and heat.

    Considerations

    • Although a root canal is generally a safe procedure that is done in an office setting, some patients are at a higher risk of complications than others. People who have heart valve disorders may require antibiotics prior to any dental work, to help prevent a condition called endocarditis. Endocarditis is an infection that can cause heart damage; it occurs when bacteria from the mouth enter the bloodstream. Anyone who takes prescription medication or who has pre-existing medical conditions should alert their dentist before having a root canal. Medication changes or additional monitoring may be required before or during the procedure.

    Misconceptions

    • Root canals have a reputation for being extremely painful. In reality, most people do not experience much discomfort following a root canal, although occasionally, severe pain can occur. This is most likely to happen if an infection occurs in the treated tooth or if the pulp was not completely removed. The vast majority of people who have a root canal find that it is no more uncomfortable than a regular filling.

    Time Frame

    • Most root canals take two to three weeks to complete, although some dentists and endodontists perform the treatment in one visit. The most common method is to perform the removal of pulp and cleaning of the tooth's inner chamber during the first appointment. The tooth is then filled with a temporary filling material. A second appointment is required one to two weeks later, to remove the temporary filling and seal the tooth. During the third and final appointment, restoration of the tooth with a metal or porcelain crown is performed.

    Warning

    • Although nearly 95 percent of root canals are successful, failures do occur. A root canal is considered to have failed if infection recurs inside the treated tooth. This can happen if there is a crack in the root of the tooth, if the tooth has more chambers than anticipated, or if an adequate seal is not obtained. Root canal failures can usually be successfully treated with a repeat root canal, but sometimes endodontic surgery is required to open the tooth from underneath, clean it out, and seal the root tip or tips.

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