If you’ve been told you need a root canal treatment, you might feel a little anxious. But don’t worry – endodontic procedures, such as a root canal treatment, are common and highly effective in relieving pain and stopping infections. More importantly, a root canal treatment can save your natural tooth, instead of stopping the infection by tooth extraction. Let’s break it down so you understand how it works and why it’s nothing to fear.
Why Do You Need a Root Canal?
A root canal is necessary when the pulp inside your tooth becomes inflamed or infected. This can happen due to deep cavities, cracks, or repeated dental procedures on the same tooth. Without treatment, an infection can spread, causing more pain and potential tooth loss.
What Happens During the Procedure?
- Numbing the Area – Your dentist will administer local anaesthesia to ensure you feel no pain. At Toothopia, we use anaesthetics with or without adrenaline, depending on your preference, so just let us know in advance.
- Creating an Opening – A small hole is made in the tooth to access the infected pulp. This is your typical drilling procedure. It is completely painless if you are under topical anaesthetic.
- Cleaning the Canals – The damaged pulp is removed, and the canals inside the tooth are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
- Filling the Canals – Once cleaned, the canals are filled with a special material to prevent reinfection.
- Sealing the Tooth – A temporary or permanent filling is placed to close the opening. We will discuss your choice of available fillings before the procedure.
- Restoring the Tooth – In most cases, a crown is recommended to protect the tooth and restore its strength, but that is not always necessary. We will discuss your options based on our clinical assessment.
And that’s it! A root canal treatment procedure usually takes about 20-40 minutes.
Recovery and Aftercare
Most patients experience mild discomfort for a few days, which can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. No need to worry, just let your tissues heal by giving them time to recover. Avoid chewing hard foods on the treated tooth until you feel comfortable or your dentist advises otherwise. With proper care, a root canal-treated tooth can last a lifetime!