Endodontics (Root Canal Therapy)
What is Root Canal Therapy (RCT)?
Once it is discovered that a tooth has been badly damaged due to decay, disease or injury, it is often thought that the next best thing to do is to pull it out. However, having your own natural tooth can be more beneficial than having an artificial tooth or none at all. Root canal therapy is a procedure that may help save the damaged tooth by removing the inflamed or dead pulp from inside the tooth before the infection spreads and therefore retain your tooth.
Inside the centre of your tooth is a space filled with soft tissue called tooth pulp, which consists of blood vessels and nerve fibres. When the pulp is unable to repair itself due to decay, disease or injury to the tooth, it would become inflamed and die. Bacteria would then be able to come in and infect the inside of the tooth, causing pain and discomfort. Removal of the inflamed pulp would help stop the infection from spreading to the rest of the tooth and surrounding gums. After removing the pulp, the root canals are cleaned, disinfected and shaped into form so that your tooth can be filled. The root canal must be infection free from bacteria before it is filled and sealed, usually with a rubber-based material called gutta-percha. This is used to minimise re-infection inside your tooth. In many cases, a crown is fitted over the tooth to secure the treatment and give a more natural appearance.
How many visits would I need?
It all depends on the complexity of the root canals in the tooth as well as whether the tooth is ready to be sealed. Follow-up visits may also be needed to see whether the tooth is healing. Continuing good hygiene practices, such as brushing and flossing, would help speed up the healing process.
How do I know I need Root Canal Therapy?
The symptoms of a tooth pulp that is infected due to decay or disease may include:
- Oversensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks
- Pain in the tooth when biting or chewing
- Facial swelling
- Oozing of pus surrounding the affected tooth
- Swelling of the gum near the affected toot
Some of the symptoms may resemble other dental health conditions and other times you may not feel the symptoms at all in your damaged tooth. Therefore, it is best to have dental check-ups regularly and express your concerns to us.