Root canal treatment (root canal treatment) is a procedure which deals with the treatment of diseases of tooth pulp which is present in the center of tooth in canals inside the root of each tooth. Pulp is composed of connective tissues, nerve & blood vessel. Pulp can get damage due to various reasons e.g.
1)An untreated cavity in the tooth which is filled with bacteria & gets deep from enamel into dentin & then reaches the pulp & infects it.
2)If teeth is damaged due to accidental cracks
3)Infection of gums reaching base of the root.
4)Intentional root canal treatment is sometime done during crown preparation as & when the tooth is cut to close to pulp.
5)Multiple fillings on the same tooth can also cause trauma to the pulp.
When the pulp tissue becomes severely diseased & necrotic the infection spreads from tooth to adjacent bone & soft tissues & cause an abscess, which is very painful. Removing & cleaning the contaminated pulp is refer as
root canal treatment or endodontic treatment. The procedure is cleaning, shaping & decontamination with small files & irrigating solutions & then obturating or filling with inert material like gutta percha, this saves the tooth & health, function & comfort.
An alternative to
composite filling material is called N2 where in the material contains paraformaldehyde, which is converted to formaldehyde, that penetrates & sterilize the hollow pulp chamber & canals Laser root canal procedure is a controversial innovation, which may be fast, but some say it may cause damage.Root canal treatment does not kill a tooth, even though the procedure remove pulp tissues the tooth continuous to receive blood supply & nourishment from surrounding tissues & bones.
Once the root canal treatment is done & canal sealed the upper crown is restored with a core material. The tooth should be protected with crown so that it is not susceptible to fracture. If root canal treatment is not done it can cause infection of jaw bone & weaken the structure. An alternative to root canal treatment is extraction of tooth, which will further require replacing the missing tooth with implants of fixed bridges. But preserving the natural tooth helps in chewing & maintaining the height of bone. As the ridge resorbs if no tooth is present. The best way to avoid root canal is to take good care of teeth by brushing, flossing & regular visits to the dentist.
