The prospect of root canal treatment can be daunting for many people but rest assured, it's not as bad as you think .
Here are 8 things you should know about root canal treatments:
1) Root canal treatment may be the last chance to save your tooth. Generally root canal treatment is carried out after every effort has been made to maintain a healthy , vital pulp.
2) Not all root canal treatments are successful. As RCT carries a lot of risk, success rates are estimated at about 80% .
3) Root canal treatments are generally pain free. Strong local anaesthetic is used to complete RCT on a live, "hot" , pulp. A non vital, dead tooth, usually does not need local anesthetic unless the files uses go through the apex of the tooth and cause discomfort as a result.
4) Root canal treatments take a lot of time. RCT takes a considerable amount of time and expertise to complete. The time needed relates to the complexity of the case, the morphology of the roots, the residual infection, the experience of the dentist, the equipment used and the cooperation of the patient.
5) Root canal treatment are considered the most difficult dental treatment by most dentists. Most dentists consider RCT one of the most difficult treatments in dentistry with molar teeth being more complicated than other teeth in the mouth. Dentist generally carry out only one RCT a day for this reason and usually carry them out in the morning (but maybe that's just me !)
6) Root canal treatments weaken teeth. A root treated tooth is weaker than a non root treated tooth due to the tooth losing its blood supply and becoming desiccated and dehydrated. Vertical and occlusal shearing forces mean that RCT'd teeth are more prone to fracture, often requiring a crown for restoration.
7) Root treated teeth discolour after treatment is completed. Teeth that have had a root canal treatment discolour over time. This is more obvious in anterior teeth. Internal bleaching or crowning can usually be carried out to improve or disguise discolouration.
8) Not all teeth can be root treated. Some teeth are not suitable for RCT. Many teeth have sclerosed or calcified canals, which means that a file cannot travel down a canal in order to clean it out and a filling material cannot be placed either. Other problems include root fractures or a curved root which can make RCT impossible.