By birth none of the creature has teeth in its mouth. They are formed at the age of 6 months to break down food items for biting and chewing to easily swallow the same for digestion. The first teeth are known as baby teeth also known as primary teeth (20 in count) and the one which are formed after these are called permanent teeth (32 in count). We Humans are having four types of teeth namely premolars and molars (to crush the food for digestion),canines (tear the food), incisors (to cut the food), each with a different function. Every tooth has a root deep embedded in the mandible (lower jaw) or the maxilla (upper jaw) iscovered by the gums. These are formed with multiple tissues and vary in densityand texture.
What is Root Canal Treatment?
When the tooth isinfected they cause ache in our gums and sometimes make hard to drink hot or cold drinks and chew our food. When we approach to the doctor according to the severity of our tooth doctor prescribes some medication or helps to eradicate the same. In some cases the tooth are not removed instead given root canal treatment to cure the infected tooth and minimize the toothache. The term root canal is derived from the deep cleansing of the canals from the root.
Procedure of Root Canal Treatment
A cracked tooth, cavities or trauma to it are the common causes of tooth decay. Root canal is a treatment used to repair the damaged teeth instead of removing it. Earlier root canal treatment was very painful. Now days this treatment has become common with the intake of junk foods which results in the tooth decay. With advance technology and inventions dental science has also advanced and doctors are using local anesthetics to continue this procedure.
- It is conducted in several sittings depending upon the severity of the tooth decay. The doctor who does examines to the damaged teeth with an x-ray of it is known as Endodontist.
- The doctor first gives local anesthesia to the gums near the effected tooth and then places dental dam after it gets isolated, keeps it free from forming saliva in the mouth.
- He then opens the mouth and tries to remove the damaged or infected area of the tooth (the pulp) anddoes cleaning and shape it either by filling with gutta percha material in the crown opening. It is the temporary filling used by the doctor to protect the tooth,when we are asked to visit him more than once.
- Once this temporary filling is removed the infected part and tooth are filled with the same for permanent solution rather than cement fixing.
- In some patients a structural support is placed in the form of metal or a plastic rod deep into the canal.
- The final sitting of root canal treatment includesfixing of a crown or what we call cap (covering of infected tooth) to restore the natural shape and appearance of the tooth.
- At last when the tooth is broken then a post is required to built it up before placing a crown or cap.
Advantages and Disadvantages of this Treatment
The good thing about it is, with few sittings only one gets permanent solution to his decayed tooth and the bad thing is inspite of taking the treatment he still suffers with the same problem and then the doctor observing the new x-ray suggests for apicoectomy procedure which is nothing but the infected area of the root tip is removed and a filling is done to close the gap.
