Root-canal Treatment

Why is root-canal treatment performed?

First of all, it should be known that any artificial teeth can replace natural teeth. Therefore, we have to protect our natural teeth. When one of our teeth is sick, one of the most known methods of protection is canal treatment. Canal treatment is providing a help in protecting damaged teeth.

Pulp (soft layer inside the tooth containing nerve, blood, lymph vessels) is damaged when it cannot be repaired. This is usually caused by bacteria in broken teeth or deep caries. Bacteria cause inflammation in the tooth's essence. If damaged or diseased pulp is not removed, the tooth and surrounding tissues are exposed to infection. And eventually you may lose your teeth completely.

What is root-canal treatment and how is it applied?

Root canal treatment is a form of treatment applied in cases where the pulp is damaged. In the past years, when the diseased soft tooth layer is encountered, the only solution is tooth extraction, while nowadays it is possible to treat these teeth.

What happens if the root-canal treatment does not applied?

In cases where the pulp cannot heal itself due to deep caries and cracks, the tooth loses its vitality and the infection can spread to the whole tooth. If no canal treatment is made, the infection can reach the tissues at the root end. The jaw bone surrounding the tooth is also inflamed and abraded. An abscess occurs in this cavity. With pain and swelling, the tooth is damaged in a short time.

The steps of canal treatment;

• The dentist will perform local anesthesia to numb the affected tooth area. This helps in reducing irritating pain during root canal treatments.

• The dentist uses small files to clean the damaged and diseased pulp from inside the tooth.

• They will also use the files to shape the inner chamber of the tooth and root, and also can wash the chamber with water to remove the remaining pulp.

• Between the sessions, the tooth is covered with temporary fillers until the tooth heals. Once it is understood that the reproduction of the inflammation has stopped and the inflammation comes to an end from the root tip, the canal is filled with a special filler up to the root tip.

• In some cases, these sessions are not necessary, and it is possible to finish the canal treatment in a single session in a healthy way.

What is the lifespan of a root-canal-treated tooth?

If the tooth does not become infected again and precautions are taken, this filling can be used for life. Your regular dentist checks can also catch the beginning of the infection. In addition, tooth decay should be prevented with very good oral care.