When a hole in a tooth has been left too long, the hole can reach the nerve and cause the nerve to die. At such time, patients may experience persistent pain that is not alleviated with the use of painkillers. Even though the nerve of the tooth is dead, the bacteria has permeated through the nerve space and an abscess has formed at the end of the root. This causes an unrelenting pain on pressure and to touch which can worsen and intensify rapidly.
In order to fix this problem, root canal treatment is carried out. Root canal treatment is a very precise treatment where measurements are made to the millimeter.
At the initial appointment, we will relieve the pain by removing the nerve and dressing the canal space with an antibiotic to help stop the bacteria from repopulating and to reduce the inflammation. The cavity will be cleaned and replaced with a temporary filling.
At the second appointment, we will clean the canal spaces to eliminate the bacteria as well as shape the canals so that a root canal filling (artificial nerve) can be placed. It might sound crazy but sometimes patients even fall asleep during these treatments!
At the third stage, the root canal filling will seal all the tubes in the dentine to stop the progression of bacteria back into the canal space and prevent reinfection.
Your dentist will tell you if you need to have a crown done after your root canal treatment, to prevent any vertical fractures that may have and protect your tooth further.