Endodontics (Root-Canal Treatment)

It is a treatment method applied in cases where the nerve (pulp) inside the tooth is damaged or dies due to caries or trauma.

It is the process of removing the nerves inside the tooth, shaping the canals in the tooth roots and cleaning them from microorganisms, and then filling the enlarged canals.

Afterwards, restorations such as filling, porcelain, crown, inlay are made according to the loss of substance on the upper part of the tooth, and the aesthetic and functional continuity of the tooth is ensured.

Why is root canal treatment done?

It is done to ensure that all parts of the painful, inflamed, and badly infected teeth that can be lost due to caries or trauma are cleaned and kept in the mouth for a long time, and to prevent further treatments that may occur due to tooth loss, which will force you both financially and morally. The tooth left by performing root canal treatment in the mouth will continue to help chewing as a dead tooth in that area, but at least as your own tooth, in this way, it will also prevent the melting of the jawbones, while the bone in that area remains active.

How long is the life of the tooth treated with root canal?

Root canal treatment is a treatment that is done to prevent tooth extraction and gives the last chance to the tooth. As a result of root canal treatment performed under appropriate conditions, the tooth can function in the mouth for a lifetime. However, root canal treated teeth may be more fragile than natural teeth.

Is there a risk of root canal treatment?

The success of a root canal treatment done properly and according to the rules is over 90% – 95% on average. In case the root canal tool breaks during the treatment or the root canals cannot be cleaned completely (root occlusion, etc.), the root canal treatment is tried again and if it is not successful, the tooth is tried to be saved by surgical methods.

How is root canal treatment done and how long does it take?

By anesthetizing the patient, the caries is cleaned and a cavity is opened inside the tooth. The pulp chamber is reached and the canals are entered from this part of the tooth with special tools, various processes are applied to clean them from bacteria and disinfected, then the pulp chamber and canals are filled with various drugs according to the situation and closed with a temporary filling. This process may take several sessions. In some cases, root canal treatment can be performed in a single session, while in abscessed and inflamed teeth, this situation is prolonged by dressings. After the tooth has healed, the canal filling is finished. How long this period will be depends on the condition of your tooth.

Things to consider during root canal treatment.

Do not use your teeth to chew hard foods between root canal treatment sessions. Your tooth may break because you have a temporary filling in your tooth. You may have pain complaints between sessions, consult your doctor for dressing. You may experience swelling in your face between sessions. There is nothing to worry about, this is a reaction caused by microorganisms and can be corrected with dressings. Inform your physician.

What happens after root canal treatment?

After your root canal treatment is finished, you may complain of pain when you press on your tooth, as the inflammation in the natural tissues will last for a few days. During this period, you should not load into that area. After a while, your complaint will pass, if necessary, you can use the pain reliever recommended by your doctor. If this situation does not pass and continues to increase, consult your doctor about this. Since the teeth undergoing root canal treatment lose their vitality, their flexibility decreases. Therefore, the risk of breakage is very high afterwards. Please consider your dentist's recommendations for the most appropriate restoration that will allow you to use this tooth for a long time. If there is not much material loss, normal filling is required on your tooth whose root canals are filled, and if there is excess material loss, a porcelain filling (inlay) is required to support the remaining tooth walls and prevent them from breaking in the future. If you have no tooth wall left, it is best to make a post that supports your root canal and put a crown on it. Root canal treatment is performed under local anesthesia and pain is not felt. An entrance is made to the root part of the tooth in the jawbone through a cavity (cavity) opened to the nerve layer (pulp) of the tooth from the crown part of the tooth visible in the mouth. The nerves of the tooth are located in the canals in the root part.