Root canal treatment.
Following the destruction of the tooth enamel, the bacteria manage to penetrate deeper into the tissue – dentin – and attack the pulp which is well blood-supplied and innervated. It is very dangerous not only for the tooth but the whole organism as the bacteria enter the bloodstream and thus pose a threat to our heart, eyes, kidneys, joints and other organs. Such situation requires medical intervention.
In the event of abandonment of treatment, the bacteria damage the root apex and the bone in then tooth’s immediate vicinity. This eventually leads to the development of permanent inflammatory changes, which can only be treated surgically by removing the root apex with inflammatory lesions - the root apex resection. Medical blood test can show then the elevated ESR parameter and the higher number of white blood cells - leukocytes. This proves the bacteria and their toxins have entered the bloodstream.
Course of treatment.
Based on an X-ray image the number of canals is determined as well as their shape, positioning and length. After the diagnosis an anesthetic is applied rendering the procedure painless. Then all the damaged tissue is removed in order to obtain an easy access to the root canals. The next stage includes removing the infected pulp from the root canals. The length of every root is measured with the use of endometer. Next, the bacteria are scratched of the root canal wall together with the infected tissues and the inside of the tooth is disinfected. The last stage is to dry the root canals and fill them with special materials, which prevent bacteria from penetrating.
The last stage includes a necessary tooth reconstruction with the use of special materials, which allow restoration of its anatomical shape, function and colour.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How long does a root canal treatment take?
Treatment duration depends on the kind of a treated tooth, its structure, numbers of root canals and the condition of the bone adjacent to the root apex. Modern medicine has significantly shortened the treatment time, however, treating a tooth with three root canals usually takes from 1 to 3 hours. It usually means more than one meeting. The time may extend if the bacteria and their toxins have damaged the bone in the area of the root apex.
When do we “poison” a tooth?
Very rarely do we insert any pulp “killing” substances into a tooth nowadays. The reason being that we have at our disposal more and more efficient anaesthetics, which allow painless removal of infected pulp without its prior chemical damaging.
Why is root canal treatment so expensive?
Modern root canal treatment requires expensive tooling. Widening the root canals utilizes sometimes several specialized nickel-titanium instruments of various diameters, enabling gradual widening of the root canals. They are expensive tools, which can be used only a couple of times. However, since the roots are often curved, making it more difficult to prepare the entire length of the canal, sometimes the tools get irreversibly damaged on the very first meeting.
2 or 3 X-ray images are usually taken during one treatment.
In order to achieve long-lasting effects a lot of chemical solutions are used.
What is the root canal treatment effectiveness?
Root canal treatment is 95% effective and allows keeping your teeth for many years to come. The complex tooth anatomy sometimes makes it impossible to achieve 100% success despite proper treatment in accordance with the latest medical developments.