ROOT CANAL TREATMENT-EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW |
A lot of us
actually don’t know what RCT is!
Root canal
treatment is always considered as painful and scary.
Do you know
whether you need RCT in your tooth or not?
Here’s why
you should be concerned about it.
A root canal
treatment is an emergency dental procedure and ignorance can make you even lose
your tooth.
WHAT IS ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
STRUCTURE OF TOOTH |
A ‘’root
canal’’ is not a treatment, in fact, it is a part of a tooth.
A tooth consists of two parts crown and roots.
The crown and the root canals have tissues present inside called the pulp. The
pulp has blood vessels and nerves which protect the tooth by providing
nutrients and moisture throughout the bloodstream. The nerves in the pulp sense
hot and cold temperatures as pain. The problem arises when this pulp tissue
gets infected, so the root cause is the
pulp.
Root canal
therapy is done to remove the nerves and blood vessels from the pulp of a
tooth. RCT is supposed to be very painful, but indeed it’s a pain-relieving treatment.
WHEN DO U NEED RCT
5 SIGNS OF NEED OF RCT |
You know
when do you need RCT…
When your
dentist asks you these questions regarding your problem..
1.Are you
having excruciating pain in your tooth occasionally or at night?
2.Do you
have any sensitivity in your tooth or teeth on eating hot, cold, sweet foods or
drinks?
3.Do you
have any pain in chewing food or biting your teeth?
4.Is there
any swelling or tenderness in your nearby gums?
5.Is there
any discoloration of the tooth?
6. Is there
any problem of food impaction?
7.Do you have
any chipped or cracked teeth?
If the
answer is yes, then it’s time to get an X-ray done and your dentist will decide
the extent of your tooth decay. The pain might be due to an infected or
inflamed pulp. The infection has spread to the pulp or not, it is decided by
the X-ray as well as the clinical symptoms by the dentist. Don’t miss the early
signs and symptoms. Early detection is the key to a great treatment plan. The
inflammation or infection could be due to many reasons like deep caries, ill
fitting dental crowns, failed fillings, cracked or chipped teeth.
HOW IS RCT DONE
PROCEDURE OF RCT |
Here’s how
your dentist helps you with your problem. After a thorough diagnosis, and
analyzing the condition of the tooth with the help of X-rays, your dentist then
performs PULPECTOMY. The various steps are
1.Cleaning the root canal
A root canal treatment is a minor surgical procedure in which your
dentist numbs the affected area and creates an access hole to remove the
decayed tissue. The inflamed/infected pulp, the dead nerves, bacteria, and all
other debris that are present inside the
root canal are removed with the help of instruments called files.
2.Filling the root canal
The inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected with the
irrigating solutions, then filled and sealed. The patient will no longer feel pain as the
tooth is dead now.
3. Giving a crown or filling
Then the hole is sealed, either at the same visit or follow-up visit and
eventually, a permanent filling or crown may be placed on the tooth. After
crown, the tooth functions like a normal tooth.
IS RCT PAINFUL
IS RCT PAINFUL |
RCT is a
painless procedure. The pain felt during the treatment is due to infection and
not from the treatment.
The whole
procedure is done under local anesthesia, so you will feel no pain at all
during the procedure.
After the
treatment, slight tenderness and discomfort are expected which is normal. It is
temporary and goes with time. The dentist may prescribe some painkillers along
with antibiotics to treat or prevent infection.
Follow your
dentist’s instructions carefully.
However, if
you feel severe pain or pressure even after a few days, then it is time to call
your dentist.
PRECAUTIONS DURING AND AFTER RCT
TIPS TO FOLLOW AFTER RCT |
Don’t eat
immediately after RCT because your gums and sometimes your tongue is somewhat
numb. So wait until that numbness goes away.
When we
extract the pulp during RCT, the tooth tends to lose its strength and start
getting brittle hence it becomes more prone to fracture. Until the crown or
filling is complete, a person should avoid hard food and should not chew from
that side as there are chances of fracture of the tooth. That is the reason you
need a crown i.e. a cap over your tooth to protect it.
Root canals
are generally successful, but it’s important to maintain your oral care routine
in order to reduce your risk of post-procedure infections or complications.
Proper
plaque removal is especially important after a root canal. Follow regular
brushing and flossing to help keep the area clean, but if the area feels
sensitive be sure to use a soft-bristled brush for post- surgical care.
You can also
try soft floss to avoid irritating the area.
ADVANTAGES OF RCT
· It preserves the natural tooth and
eliminates the pain. Nothing functions, as well as a natural tooth so saving a
tooth, is the best option.
· It prevents the spreading of
infection in other parts like the jaws, neck, skin, or head.
· It maintains the chewing.
· It will make sure that the distribution
of biting force is normal.
· It prevents bone loss around the
infected area.
TIME TAKEN IN DOING RCT
SINGLE SITTING RCT |
Remember, when
it comes to dental treatments…the sooner, the better. Treatment usually takes
one appointment, but if there is a severe infection, curved canals, or multiple
canals, it might take two or three appointments.
COST OF RCT
Ignoring
early cavities will cause more pain later not only in your tooth but also in
your wallet. When you don’t fill your dental cavities and they progress further
into root canal treatments which cost much more.
The cost of
RCT depends on the complexity of the problem and which tooth is affected. Molars are difficult to treat, so the cost is
a bit more than anterior teeth.
RCT is a
less costly option than having a tooth extracted and replaced with an implant
or bridge. So RCT is relatively a cost- efficient treatment in place of
extraction of the tooth.
CONCLUSION
RCT |
RCT is often
taken as a painful procedure, root canal treatment is not painful unless you
procrastinate your dental check-ups. It is indeed a TOOTH SAVIOR!
It’s best to
get the teeth checked up, even if you don’t feel any pain. So you can not only save
a lot of sitting hours at the dental clinic but also MONEY. Don’t delay your
root canal treatment. The dental problems come back with more force and cause
more damage.
Occasionally,
the root canal treated tooth may become painful, months or even years after
successful treatment. It might be saved with re RCT.
There might
be some other signs which might need you to immediately visit your dentist for a check-up.
Shubham Dental Clinic in Hisar
We are proud
to help the patients of Hisar and nearby to achieve their healthiest smiles. If
you are experiencing any of the problems discussed above, we can help restore
your oral health by performing RCT. Our specialties include Root Canal
Treatment, cosmetic dentistry, teeth
whitening, regular cleaning and hygiene, crowns, bridges, and dental implants.
Contact us to schedule your next
appointment!
SHUBHAM DENTAL CLINIC-BEST DENTAL CLINIC IN HISAR |