Saving Your Natural Teeth
Nothing is as
good as your natural tooth!
Saving your natural
tooth should always be your first choice when dental care is
needed. Nothing, not even the most advanced bridges and
implants, can truly replace your natural tooth.
• If you think you
should get your painful tooth extracted, ask if your dentist can
help save it with a root canal. This endodontic treatment
removes the injured pulp (soft inner tissue) of your tooth and
fills and seals the space.
• Your tooth is
then restored and can function just like any other tooth for the
rest of your life, ensuring comfortable chewing and a natural
appearance.
• Endodontists can
often save the most severely injured teeth.
Do everything
possible to save your teeth before considering extraction.
Nothing is as good as your natural tooth!
A tooth is basically made up of two parts: the crown and the
root.
The crown is what
you see when you smile or open your mouth. It's the part that
sits above your gumline. An outer enamel layer and the dentin
inside protect the tooth's underlying structures and prevent
bacteria from entering the tooth.
The root is below
the gumline. It makes up about 2/3rds of the tooth's total
length. The root canals house the pulp and extend to the
underlying bone. The pulp helps nourish the tooth and is made up
of tiny blood vessels and nerves. The blood vessels carry
nutrients to the tooth, and the nerves give feeling to the
tooth. The pulp tissue enters and exits through openings at the
root tips
Bacteria can invade
your tooth through a loose filling, a cavity, or a crack. In the
initial stages the cavity can be cleaned and a tooth colored
filling done to restore it. However, once the pulp becomes
infected by the bacterial attack, a root canal treatment is
necessary to restore it. If left untreated, the inflammation and
infection will spread down the root canal, often causing
sensitivity to hot or cold foods, throbbing, aching, or pain
when you chew. This may lead to the bone getting infected as the
bacteria escape through the root openings. The bone breaks down,
and your ligament surrounding the root may swell and loosen the
tooth.
Root Canal
Treatment
The goal of root
canal therapy is to restore the health of your damaged tooth.
During treatment, the pulp is removed from your root canals
through a small opening in the crown. Then the canals are
cleaned and disinfected. The adjoining diagram shows an
instrument being used to clean the canal.
Treatment may take
one or more visits. The tooth is first numbed. An opening is
made in your tooth and any existing fillings or decay is
removed. Then Dr. Tandon removes unhealthy pulp with tiny,
flexible files. Using delicate, up-and-down motions, Dr. Tandon
gently cleans and smooths your canals to disinfect them and
prepares them for filling.
The canals are then
sealed with an inert material that occupies the space vacated by
the removal of the pulp
After the inside of
your tooth has been treated, the outside will be restored to
protect your tooth's underlying structures and to bring the
tooth back into function. Dr. Tandon will usually cover the
tooth with a ceramic or metal crown.
After root canal
therapy your tooth should function and feel like your other
teeth. Take care of your treated tooth the same way you would
your other teeth. Brush after every meal, and floss before going
to bed. Also, have regular dental checkups, cleanings, and any
other dental work you may need so that your teeth last as long
as you do!
Tandon Dental Clinic
5-Jha-4, Jawahar Nagar, Jaipur - 302004
Tel: +91-141-2651485, 2653233 Mobile: +91-9829065148
Clinic timings : 1600 hrs to 2000 hrs IST (+5.30 GMT)
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