What is root canal?
There are two major portions to each tooth: The portion you can see and the portion under gums. The section under the gums is the root and the inside of this area is the root canal. It is the hollow section of a tooth that contains the blood vessels, nerve tissue, and other cells, also known as the pulp.
Root canal treatment (also known as endodontic therapy) is used to eliminate and remove bacteria from the infected root canal. Although thought to be a painful treatment, this is a pain-relieving treatment. Root canal helps in preventing reinfection of the tooth and saves the natural tooth. The root canal treatment removes the infected pulp from the tooth and carefully cleans the tooth. The tooth is then disinfected, filled and sealed.
What are the symptoms the need root canal treatment?
Several symptoms can indicate that one needs a root canal. Here are a few symptoms:
- Sensitivity to hot or cold eatables for a long period of time
- Tenderness to touch
- Constant toothache
- Severe pain while chewing or biting
- Pimples on the gums
- A cracked or a chipped tooth
- Swollen or tender gums
- Darkening of the gums or deep decay
How long does the root canal procedure take?
A root Canal typically takes one or two hours but also depends on the patient’s situation, if there are multiple root canals required, the appointments would take some time. As these appointments are normally done in sets.
On your regular dental visits, we regularly perform a root canal checkup and if required, treatment is provided in order to remove infections and save the teeth.
The Root canal procedure:
There are 3 steps to completing the root canal treatment :
- Cleaning the root canal: First, local anaesthesia is administered. After that, a small hole is drilled on the surface of the tooth to extract the infected and dead pulp tissue.
- Filling the root canal: After the dead tissue is extracted, the inside of the tooth is cleaned and disinfected using various solutions. The hollow is then filled with a filling – which is a rubber-like material. Finally, adhesive cement is used to seal the canals. Once this is done, the patient will no longer feel the pain as the nerve tissue has been removed and the tooth is dead.
- Adding a crown or filling: The tooth is now more fragile – with no pulp for nourishment, the tooth will become more brittle. Hence, a crown is fitted for protection. Until the crown is placed, you are not allowed to bite or chew using that tooth.
As stated earlier, the treatment often takes only one seating or one appointment, but if there are large infections and multi-canals, it could take one or two additional appointments.
Does a root canal hurt?
Since you will be given anaesthesia, there will be no much sensation during the treatment. However, you may feel sore or numb after the procedure, and there might be a mild discomfort might for a few days.
If you are looking for a root canal treatment in Bangalore, book an appointment at LV Dental Square – Among The best dental clinics in Bangalore for root canal treatments. We have all the necessary equipment and a professional dental team to provide you with the best treatment for your dental needs.