Root canal treatment is a procedure that aims to treat damage to the tooth cavity, as well as treat infection and decay in the area.
The root canal is a cavity in the center of the tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves. The nerves found in the dental cavity have no other function other than the sensory function, namely to feel hot or cold temperatures in food.
When the tooth cavity and its nerve tissue are damaged, the damage can be used by bacteria to multiply and cause infection. Infections that occur in the dental cavity can cause an abscess to form and cause symptoms such as:
- Swelling of the face, neck and head.
- Discharge of fluid from the site of infection.
- The destruction of the bone at the tip of the root of the tooth.
- Tooth aches and pains.
At the time of root canal treatment, the pulp cavity and nerves of the tooth will be removed and then cleaned and closed to prevent re-infection.
Indications for Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment is necessary if the following symptoms appear:
- Pain when eating or drinking hot and cold water.
- Teeth feel loose.
- Pain when biting or chewing.
These symptoms are signs of infection in the dental cavity which can usually be detected through X-rays. The cavity of the tooth will begin to decay and damage due to bacterial infection. If not treated properly, the infection can get worse, but the early symptoms of infection above will actually disappear due to the death of the dental cavity. At that time, the tooth will feel like it is healing, but actually the infection has spread to the area around the root of the tooth. This condition can be characterized by the following symptoms:
- Pain that reappears when biting and chewing.
- Swelling of the face.
- Teeth turn dark.
- The appearance of pus flowing from the infected tooth.
- Swollen gums near infected teeth.
It is very bad to leave an infected tooth without proper treatment. The tooth cannot heal itself without the help of external treatment. In addition, if the tooth infection is left untreated, the root canal treatment runs the risk of being unsuccessful or ineffective. Giving antibiotics will also not be effective in treating tooth root infections.
Dental Root Canal Treatment Warning
The most unpleasant thing about root canal treatment is the discomfort or pain that occurs during the procedure. In addition, in a few days after treatment, the teeth will be more sensitive due to inflammation of the dental tissue, especially if there is pain and infection before treatment. Post-treatment tooth sensitivity can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs.
Preparation Before Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment should only be carried out by a dentist or root specialist, depending on how severe the root infection is. A common test to diagnose a root canal infection is a scan using an X-ray.
Dental Root Canal Treatment Procedure
The first step is to determine the severity of the infection that occurs with X-rays. After that, the doctor will inject a local anesthetic to prevent pain during the procedure and make the patient more relaxed. However, in cases where the root infection has damaged the nerves, anesthesia is sometimes not needed.
The treatment process is continued with the installation of rubber dams in the mouth and around the teeth to absorb saliva and keep the surgical area dry. The problem tooth is then drilled to create a path for cleaning the cavity and bacteria. The teeth and cavities are cleaned using a file inserted through the drilled tooth cavity and brushing the cavities on each side. To rinse the cavities after cleaning with a file, the doctor will give the patient water or a sodium hypochlorite solution to rinse.
Teeth that have been drilled and cleaned can be filled immediately on the same day or postponed for the next few days. The delay in filling teeth after treatment is usually for one week. The goal is that if there is an infection in the dental canal, it can be cured with drugs first. While waiting for fillings, the doctor will give temporary fillings to prevent contaminants, such as food and saliva, from entering the cavities of the cleaned teeth.
After a temporary patch is deemed unnecessary, the doctor will remove the patch and replace it with a permanent patch. At the time of permanent filling of teeth, the doctor can add a rubber filling called gutta-percha to fill the void of the root of the tooth. Gutta-percha attached to the root cavity of the tooth with the help of an adhesive substance so that it does not sway or fall off. After filling the root cavity of the tooth, the doctor will patch the tooth enamel using a special material.
After Root Canal Treatment
To keep the fillings sticking to the teeth properly after treatment, you should reduce chewing in the area of the teeth undergoing treatment. In addition, by avoiding chewing with fillings, you can reduce the risk of contamination of the teeth. Keep your teeth clean during the post-treatment healing period by brushing your teeth and gargling with an antiseptic mouthwash. Do not forget to check regularly to the dentist to monitor tooth healing.
Pain and sensitivity in the teeth that appear after treatment can be overcome by taking anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. If the infection reappears after root canal treatment, the treatment can be repeated again to cure the infection. Root canal treatment is generally successful. About 90 percent of patients who undergo root canal treatment recover and do not re-infection until 8-10 years after treatment, especially if good oral hygiene is maintained.
Complications of Root Canal Treatment
The main complication that can arise after root canal treatment is the recurrence of infection inside the tooth. Some of the causes of the infection reappearing after treatment are:
- There is more than one root canal that is infected or there is a part of the root canal that was not cleaned during treatment.
- There are cracks in the root of the tooth that are not detected.
- The breakdown of the adhesive material between the filling and the tooth allows bacteria to re-infect the tooth.
- Fillings that are not done perfectly, so that bacteria can enter the teeth that have been filled.
To overcome this complication, repeated treatment can be carried out so that the infection can be cleaned again. One method that can be done is apicoectomy which aims to reduce inflammation and ongoing infection. In an apicoectomy, the gum where the tooth infection occurs is opened, then the infected tissue is removed, sometimes to the tip of the tooth root. After the apicoectomy is performed, fillings can be added to cover the root of the tooth.