Lakeview Bright Smiles, PA

1.  Root canal treatment, also called endodontic treatment, involves relieving pain and discomfort by removing the nerve tissue (called pulp) located in the center of the tooth and its root(s). Treatment involves drilling through the surface of the tooth and removing the nerve tissue with fine metal files.

2.  Multiply treatment may be involved for root canal treatment, typically there are two office visit to finish the root canal treatment. Between each treatment, medications may be used to sterilize the interior of tooth. At the last visit of the root canal treatment, each root canal is filled with medicated filling material and a temporary seal.

3.  Once root canal treatment is complete, it is essential to return on time, because a temporary seal is designed to last only 2-3 weeks. Next step after root canal treatment is to restore the tooth by placing a metal pin (called post and core) inside the canal and a crown. A tooth after root canal treatment without post and core or crown will lead to tooth structure deterioration, fracture, decay, infection and possible premature loss of the tooth.

4.  Root canal treatment is intended to save severely decayed tooth, but still have enough tooth structure for restoration. Some teeth naturally have twisted, curved or blocked root canals which may prevent the access for removing all inflamed or infected pulp tissue. This small amount of remaining pulp tissue may affect the success of root canal treatment. If this happened in the anterior teeth, an additional procedure called apicoectomy may be needed. A small opening will be made on the gums and surrounding bone, any remaining pulp tissue will be removed and root tip will be sealed.

5.  Common risks of the root canal treatment include bleeding, pain, or soreness on the gum tissue, jaw stiffness. These symptoms usually will relieve themselves in few days.

6.  Some teeth have severely curved or calcium deposits blocked canals may cause small instruments fracture inside the canals. Depending on its location, the fragment can be retrieved or may be necessary to seal it in the root canal (these instrument are made of sterile, non-toxic surgical stainless steel, which cause no harm). Sometimes, small amount of filling material may be forced out the canal to the surrounding tissue.  It may be necessary to perform an apicoectomy to seal the root tip.

7.  When a tooth has a large decay/cavity, root canal treatment may be the final treatment in the effort to save the tooth, even though patient may or may not feel pain.