BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

MOST OF THE PATIENTS WHO NEED ROOT CANAL TREATMENT ARE CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TREATMENT. SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED AND YOU WON'T BE WORRIED AFTER READING THIS.


Tooth is composed of protective hard covering (enamel,dentin, cementum) encasing a soft living tissue called Pulp. Pulp contains blood vessels, nerves, fibers and connective tissue. The pulp extends from the crown of tooth to the tip of roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root.

Why do you feel pain?

When the pulp gets damaged or infected, due to tooth decay, gum diseases, injury to the tooth by accident, it causes increased blood flow and cellular activity and pressure cannot be relieved from inside the tooth and causes Pain.

How can you tell if pulp is infected?
When pulp becomes inflamed, it may cause

• Toothache on taking hot or cold, Spontaneous pain
• Pain on Biting or on lying position
• Drainage(Pus discharge)
• Swelling

Why do you need root canal and what is root canal?
To relieve this pain, as tooth cannot heal by itself, root canal treatment is done to save the tooth by removing the infected pulp, then cleaning and shaping of root canals is done, and then filled up with the gutta percha (permanent filling) material to prevent recontamination of the tooth. Tooth is permanently restored by this procedure.

Alternatives to root canal?

If tooth is severely damaged, extraction (tooth removal) is the only option left.

How many visits?
Nowadays, single sitting root canal is available. Usually, it can be completed in 2-3 visits but sometimes, the condition of tooth infection can take a longer time.

                                                   

Will you feel pain during or after treatment?

NO, with the use of Local Anesthesia, you will be comfortable and pain free. But for few days, you may feel sensation if pain and infection were present prior to procedure, this can be relieved by medication.

Will the tooth need any special care or additional treatment after RCT?
One should not bite or chew on that treated tooth as tooth gets weakened after RCT so it may fracture the tooth. To avoid this, you should go for capping (crown) of that tooth for best results.
Do not forget to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing, flossing, mouthwash, and routine dental check ups.

WORRIED FOR YOUR CHILD'S TEETH? PART-2

CHILD 3-6 YEARS OLD (HIGH RISK):

Parents should understand the importance of oral health.
Regular check ups required which helps in reducing the risk of caries , building the doctor patient relationship, both child and parents start trusting doctor, and even prepares child for the dental procedures.
Fluoridated tooth paste- 1350-1500 PPM , upto full length of Head of Brush.
Fluoridated varnish application- Atleast 2 times per year.
    Fluoride varnish is the fastest safest acceptable procedure.
    For such patients, formulation can be used- 1400ppmF + 0.3% chlorhex + 0-5% cetylpyridinium chloride. This helps in protection against antibacterial activity.



Most important is an investigation of DIET. Parents should be advised to maintain the diary of what one is eating for the whole day which will help in detecting the main cause like child is having more sugary products which are causing the risk of caries or now in digital world, there are many applications available on app stores, one can download and maintain the diary.

DIET CHART

CHILD ABOVE 7 YEARS AND YOUNG ADULTS:

Fluoridated tooth paste - 1350-1500ppm, full length of Head of Brush, Twice daily.
Night tooth brushing with fluoridated tooth paste is  more important.
Don't rinse after brushing (just spit out) to maintain fluoride concentration.
Reduce both frequency and amount of sugar intake
Fluoridated varnish application by Dental Professional twice a year
Varnish during orthodontic treatment becomes more important (as oral hygiene maintainance is challenging)

FLUORIDE RINSE

CHILD ABOVE 7 YEARS AND YOUNG ADULTS (HIGH RISK):

In addition to every other steps,

Fluoridated tooth paste- 2800ppm for above 10 years and 5000ppm for above 16 years of age.
Fluoride rinse should be done everyday, the timing should be different to that of brushing.
Fissure Sealants by Dental Professionals provide better protection.
Fluoride Varnish Application - more than 2 times per year.

FISSURE SEALANTS

Fissure Sealants in combination with investigation of diet, oral hygiene and varnish fluoride application are the best measures for such patients.




SUMMARY:
1. Reduce both frequency and amount of sugar intake.
2. For preschool kids, brushing under parents supervision.
3. Fissure sealants for permanent molars as soon as tooth erupts.
4. Range of fluoridated tooth paste 1000-5000 ppm.
5. Varnish application by Dental Professionals 2 times/year and more than 2 times/year for high risk caries.
6. Investigation of Diet.
7. Good Clinical Advice and Regular Dental Checkups.