How do I know whether I need a root canal?
If you develop a pain in your tooth, the most likely cause is pulpitis. You will experience a pulsating pain and the area is sensitive to extremes of heat and cold. If the infection spreads, the pain can be extremely severe and radiate to the surrounding area. You may have other symptoms too, including a high temperature, but the infection may also be completely unsymptomatic. If you don’t experience any symptoms, the infection will usually only be spotted at a dental check-up or because your teeth are x-rayed for another reason. If your teeth are not looked after by a professional, the infection will often not be spotted until it has progressed and you begin to develop symptoms.
Root canal at PlusTerveys
We will always start with a thorough examination of your mouth and the affected tooth. Your dentist will make sure that you are a candidate for root canal treatment and that it is necessary in your case. We will also make every effort to anticipate any problems that may occur. We will take a series of x-rays to build up a clear picture how widespread the infection is and to gather any other information we need to carry out the treatment successfully.
To start the treatment process, we will open the tooth through the crown to gain access to the pulp inside it. We will then clean the root canals and flush them with an anti-bacterial solution. Your dentist will remove the dead and infected pulp using a set of specialist instruments. Once the root canal is clean we will fill it with an antibacterial medicine that will be left in place for a period of a few weeks. At a later visit, we will insert the root canal filling, which is designed to seal the tooth, stop the bacteria from entering the canals and prevent re-infection. Finally, the tooth will be capped with a crown.
A root canal usually requires 2–4 visits spread across a few weeks. The molars will take longer to treat as they have more roots. You will need to take care when chewing while you are in-between sessions and when the treatment has not been completed yet as the tooth is more liable to crack during this time.
When the bacteria have been removed from the pulp and the canals, the area will begin to heal with new bone formation.
Root canal treatment – not always the best solution
In some cases it may not be possible or worthwhile to carry out a root canal treatment. This might be the case if the tooth is too badly damaged, it cannot be filled after cleaning or it is barely attached to the jaw bone. Your dentist will consider the condition of your tooth and whether keeping the tooth is a priority when planning your treatment.
A root canal may not always work and it may not be possible to clear all of the infection. If this happens, the infection will continue to spread as some bacteria still remain in the canal or are able to re-enter the canal space due to caries or a leaking filling.
This means that the infection has spread too far and the tooth cannot be saved and will need to be removed.
Root canal surgery
Sometimes, a root canal will require surgery. It may be difficult to complete the procedure if the root canals are very curved or they are partly or completely sealed. In these cases, the most appropriate form of treatment will be to clean the tip of the root and the surrounding bone tissue using a surgical procedure. However, this may not be suitable for all teeth and the dentist may still be required to remove the tooth.
