Suffering from severe dental pain! Visit us for painless, single sitting root canal treatment in New Delhi NCR.
What is Root Canal Treatment (RCT)?
A root canal is a hollow cavity within the tooth that houses the vital part of the tooth-the pulp. The pulp provides nutrition to the tooth via the blood and is also responsible for tooth sensitivity because of the presence of the nerves. The procedure of removal of nerves from inside the root canal and filling it with an inert biocompatible material is what constitutes the RCT procedure.
Signs and Symptoms that you need a Root Canal Treatment
- An intense pain that might even radiate to the head and ear
- Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold
- Discomfort and inability of the tooth to withstand chewing forces
- Fracture of tooth exposing the pulp
Root Canal Procedure
- The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
- A small access hole is drilled into the tooth to allow access to the inner pulp. The diseased pulp is completely removed with special instruments. (Removal of pulp tissue)
- The canals are cleaned, enlarged and disinfected.
- The root canals are filled with Special root canal filling paste and GP points.
- The tooth is restored with a crown.
Post-Operative Care After Root Canal Treatment
- After the surgery, the tooth will remain sensitive to pressure for 2-3 days so chewing hard foods on it is not recommended for that period.
- Use of antibiotics and pain –killer as recommended by your dentist is advisable. Restoration of an RCT treated tooth- Post and Core
Success Rate of RCT
- In the hands of skilled and experienced, dentist, the root canal treatment procedure carries a very high success rate of over 90%
Alternatives to RCT
- The only alternative to RCT is extraction of the affected tooth
Post and Core
After RCT it is mandatory to put a crown over the treated tooth. However, RCT-treated teeth present specific restorative problems because they frequently have insufficient healthy tooth structure remaining to retain the final restoration. Various techniques are now available to address these specific problems. These techniques use special pins called dowels to provide necessary retention for the cores and to prevent separation of the crown from the root. The post and cores are available as prefabricated posts or maybe individually cast both for anterior and posterior teeth.
Apicoectomy (Root and Surgery) – for Complicated Root Canals
It is a surgical procedure involving the section and removal of the tip of a tooth root along with the surrounding infected tissue. Conditions that require an apicoectomy include:
- Infection persists even after completion of a root canal
- An uncleaned root canal blocked by a fractured file that cannot be removed.
- A fracture or crack on the tooth roots.
- A badly curved root canal obstructing endodontic files from reaching the root tip.
- Several small branches at the sides of the root canal cannot be cleaned and sealed.
Prognosis
In the hands of a skilled surgeon, apicoectomy carries a very high success rate but as in all surgery procedures, there is always a risk of complications and failure. Any sign of remaining infection after 4 weeks indicates a failed apicoectomy, requiring extraction of the tooth.
Root Canal FAQs
Can Root Canal be done painless?
With the advances in modern dentistry, pain is no a longer a part of root canal or any other dental treatment. The treatment is completely painless. Even in the post-operative period, some mild discomfort might be there which is perfectly controlled by prescribed medications.
How much does a Root Canal cost in Delhi?
The cost of a root canal treatment is governed by the tooth type (posterior root canals have multiple roots and root canals and hence expensive than anterior teeth), technique used (hand or rotary instrumentation), use of laser and microscope in the procedure, quality of filling materials used, the qualifications and experience of the operating dentist and of course the difficulty of the procedure (presence of curved roots makes the procedure more difficult).
How do you make a Root Canal painless?
Root Canal treatment is performed under local anesthesia. However in certain cases, proper pre-medication can play an important role in minimizing any discomfort during the procedure. Use of antibiotics and painkiller and an anti-anxiety medication (for the highly anxious or nervous patient) if needed, can greatly help to make a root canal completely painless.
Is there an alternative to Root Canal?
Once the pulp part of the tooth is involved in a cavity, there is no option but to get a root canal treatment.
Can I get a filling instead of Root Canal?
Dental filling is indicated when the cavity is superficial i.e involving the enamel or a part of dentin which lies below enamel. Here the patient usually experiences sensitivity to cold. However, when the cavity involves the pulp, only a root canal can help save the tooth.
Do I need crown after Root Canal?
During Root Canal Procedure the nerve supply to a tooth is cut off but along with it the blood supply to the tooth is also cut off making the tooth “dead”. As a result water cannot enter the tooth and the tooth become brittle. This increases the chances of fracture of the tooth. So it is advisable to get a crown over the root canal treated tooth to prevent damage or fracture of the tooth.
How long does RCT last?
A properly done RCT can last you a lifetime provided a crown is also given over the affected tooth.
What is the failure rate of Root Canals?
Root Canals usually fail when root canals are not properly sealed up to the apex or some accessory or extra canals are present which gets unnoticed during the procedure. The pulp tissue left behind in these canals gets rotten and causes an infection which leads to the failure of the root canal treatment. Overall the failure rate of RCT is about 10%.