Steps in Root Canal Treatment

03:22 anaesthesia, BMP, crown, dentist, endodontics, file x ray, pulp, steps in root canal TREATMENT tibiotics, treatments 253 Comments

1] Diagnosis- identify the tooth with the problem by taking proper  history.
    Diagnostic x- ray to evaluate the tooth[ root anatomy, extent of damage to the tooth, no. of canals, its           anatomy etc]and  status of surrounding bone if associated with periapical pathology.
vitality test- to detect the vitality of pulp.


2] prescribe an antibiotic or/and anti-inflammatory medicine for some days before starting the root canal procedure. The purpose is to control the infection and to ease the swelling which can make the anesthetic less effective. 


3] Anaesthesia may not be necessary, since the nerve is usually dead, but most dentists still use anesthesia to make the patient more relaxed. 


 4] Isolate the tooth, keep it dry and prevent the contamination of the tooth by saliva bacteria during the root canal procedure.


5]Access Opening of tooth-First, remove any decay from the crown of the tooth.Opening the dental pulp chamber relieves the pressure inside the tooth and can offer significant pain relief.


6] Pulp extirpation


7]  File X-ray to measure working length of the tooth.


8] The cleaning phase of a root canal procedure might need more than one appointment, especially in cases when the dentist suspects that the root canals are branched in a way that infected tissue and bacteria might be left in areas that the dentist can not see or the files can’t reach. In these cases, the dentist will put antimicrobial medication in the pulp and canal area to kill any remaining bacteria and will use a temporary filling to protect the tooth until the next visit. 


The dentist may decide to leave the tooth open for a few days to allow drainage of a periapical abscess and prescribe an antibiotic to stop the infection. If the infection is not controlled until the next appointment, the process is repeated.


9] When the dentist decides that it is safe, he will dry the interior of the root canals with paper points and start to fill them with a permanent root canal filling material. The material used for the filling is often a biocompatible rubber-like material called “gutta percha” in combination with an antibacterial cement (sealer). 


10]  If the tooth has suffered significant damage from tooth decay and it is unable to support a crown, the dentist will place a metal post in the pulp chamber to provide structural support for the crown restoration.


11]Final restoration prevents contamination of the tooth. Another problem is that the tooth remains weak until restored, and it will fracture easily if pressured. 


12] Endodontically treated teeth often become brittle with time after treatment. Crowning the tooth is usually safer, especially if molar is involved.