Root Canal Therapy

A Root Canal Therapy is needed when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected, so the infection may spread through the root canal system of the tooth.  This may eventually lead to an abscess. An abscess is an inflamed area in which pus collects and can cause swelling of the tissues around the tooth.of an abscess can The symptoms  range from a dull ache to severe pain, and the tooth may be tender when you bite. Removing injured or infected pulp is the best way to preserve the structure of the tooth.

Common causes of damage to the pulp include:

• Deep decay due to an untreated cavity.
• Multiple dental procedures on the same tooth.
• A chip or crack in the tooth
• An injury to the tooth

Root Canal Procedure

Prevent further problems such as abscess and bone loss. In some cases a tooth will have no symptoms at all, but after full dental evaluation and X-Rays will show that the Root Canal is needed.

Root Canals are done by an Endodontist and requires the Specialist to make a hole through the enamel and dentin surfaces to gain access to the pulp chamber, where the Endodontist proceeds to remove the pulp, clean the pulp chamber and seal the chamber with gutta percha. To insure the long term success of the tooth after a Root Canal an antibiotic is prescribed and a Post and Core Build Up and Crown is recommended to prevent fractures or filtration of bacteria to the tooth.

Step-by-Step Root Canal Procedure

At the beginning of the procedure, the dentist will isolate the tooth using a rubber dam and anesthetize the tooth sufficiently to prevent pain while performing the procedure.

The dentist uses a drill to access the pulp chamber and related canals of the tooth. This allows inserting specialized dental instruments to clean the pulp chamber and root canals. Then the specialist cleans the remaining space and shapes it to make space for a filling. The filling will replace the pulp in the tooth.

The dentist fills the Root Canal with a bio compatible material. Gutta-percha and Adhesive dental cement are good options to seal the root canal. Sealing prevents future infections in the area.

A temporary filling is placed in the hole used to access the root canals. Once the dentist deems the tooth is healing properly and the root canal is a success, he places a permanent restoration.

Post & Core Build Up

A Post & Core Build Up is a treatment that is done after a Root Canal and is needed to regain stability and tooth structure to that tooth. Once the pulp chambers are cleaned and sterilized a fiber post will be placed into the chamber to help absorb the shock from masticatory forces. The Post also helps to anchor the Core Build Up to the actual tooth.

What is a Post & Core Build Up?

• A Post is a prosthetic device made of fiberglass alloy used to give strength and support to the toot structure after a Root Canal Therapy was performed and the due restoration is a Crown or a Bridge.

• The Core Build Up, made of composite material, replaces the nerve extracted in the Root Canal Therapy and supports either a Crown or the Retainer for a Bridge.

• The Post & Core Build Up is required to give stability to the Crown or Bridge.