According to the American Association of Endodontists, several myths exist about root canal treatment: Root canals are painful, cause illness and are no better for you than removing the tooth. The truth is that it is usually a comfortable, safe and predictable procedure.
Identification
A tooth's crown lies visible above the gums. The hard structure known as enamel covers the outside of the tooth's crown and resists tooth decay with sufficient plaque removal. It also insulates the nerve of the tooth to hot and cold. The root or roots of a tooth lie submerged below the gum and attach to the surrounding bone. Inside the crown and roots lies the dental pulp, which contains blood vessels, nerve fibers and connective tissue.
Disease
Tooth decay is a very common health disorder, second only to the common cold, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Extensive destruction of the tooth's crown by tooth decay requires the placement of a dental crown made of porcelain or metal. Inflammation or infection of the dental pulp results from tooth decay, dental fillings or crowns, cracks or trauma, according to the American Association of Endodontists. The treatment for pulpal disease is root canal treatment.
Symptoms
The symptoms of pulpal disease may include prolonged sensitivity to hot and cold, spontaneous pain, pain when chewing, or discoloration and swelling of the gums around a tooth, according to the American Association of Endodontists. However, some teeth require a root canal treatment without any symptoms surfacing. Root canal therapy and extraction are the only two treatments to save an abscessed or severely infected tooth.
Treatment
According to the American Dental Association, local anesthetic administration and placement of a rubber dam precedes the beginning of root canal treatment. A small opening through the tooth's crown allows placement of endodontic instruments that remove the diseased pulp. Placing a root canal filling within the space created during this cleaning process seals the root from further infection. The final step is the fabrication of a porcelain or metal crown, which protects the tooth from fracturing in the future. This procedure involves removing the outer surface of the tooth by a depth of approximately 2 millimeters. A mold is made of the prepared tooth and sent to a dental lab for production of the restoration. A permanent dental cement holds the crown in place.
Complications
Endodontic instruments are precision instruments that may fracture due to manufacturing defects or operator misuse. This can have a negative effect on the prognosis of the treatment. Complex tooth anatomy such as narrow and curved root canal spaces may complicate the treatment, according to the American Association of Endodontists.
Prognosis
According to the American Association of Endodontists, root canal treatment has a very high success rate. A root canal treatment and crown save many teeth for a lifetime.
