Root Canal Treatment / Endodontics

If the tooth decay progresses to the pulp layer, all canals in the tooth are cleaned, disinfected and filled with medication or other methods. Temporary filling is applied until the infections in the tooth are treated. Each tooth has a different number of canals. If the decay reaches the pulp, all of the canals in the tooth structure are treated one by one. Incisors in the front part of the oral structure can generally have one canal, premolars can have two canals and molars can have 3-4 canals. Each root can also be considered as a canal, but sometimes there may be extra canals.

Among the stages of root canal treatment, first of all, a hole is drilled in the crown of the damaged tooth. The pulp is removed through the canal opened to the tooth, the root canals are cleaned and a sufficient amount of space is opened for tooth filling. When the root canal treatment is over, if more than one session is needed for filling, temporary filling is performed by specialist dentists. The rubber material with a tapered tip called 'Gutta percha' is inserted into the canals of the tooth separately and sealed with cement. If the physician deems necessary, a plastic or metal rod can be inserted into the tooth canal. After all these procedures, the tooth is covered with a crown to give the tooth its natural appearance. If there is a fracture in the tooth, a post is applied to repair the tooth without placing a crown.

The duration of root canal treatment may vary depending on the number of canals, the location of the tooth in the mouth and the infection status. If there is no infection or cyst formation in the pulp during treatment, root canal treatment can be completed in a single session. In general, the treatment of people with tooth infection takes 2 sessions. In the first session, local medicament is applied to the canal, which is well cleaned and shaped in the first session, and the microorganisms there are killed. In the 2nd session of the treatment, if there is no inflammation in the canal or if there is no sensitivity in the tooth of the person, if there is no disorder in the tissues surrounding the tooth and if the x-ray is clean, the tooth filling process is completed. Root canal treatment may rarely end in 3 sessions. 

Root canal procedures performed by an endodontist or dentist provide a healthy and efficient use in healing the pulp layer of the tooth and the dental nerve. Before the root canal treatments begin, X-rays are taken in order to see more clearly how the root canals are in the first place. Thanks to this X-ray, if there is a bone infection around the decayed teeth, it can be seen on the X-ray. Root canal treatment is performed with local anesthesia and people do not feel any pain due to the numbness of the tooth and surrounding nerves.

After root canal treatment, the vitality of the tooth ends. For this reason, teeth are likely to break. After root canal treatment, people should be careful not to consume very hard foods. At the end of the treatment, antibiotic treatment can be applied by specialist physicians in order to completely eliminate the infection. 

It is recommended to wait to eat and drink until the effect of local anesthesia wears off. In order to maintain oral and dental health after root canal treatment, teeth should be brushed at least twice a day and care should be taken to use an interdental brush and dental floss. In order to maintain dental health for many years, individuals up to the age of 6 should go for dental check-ups once a year, and people over the age of 6 should go for dental check-ups twice a year. In case the root canal treatment period is prolonged, it is important for people to use the tooth to be treated less, not to use the treated tooth for at least a few hours, and not to consume hot or cold foods for 3-4 days after treatment. The use of dental floss and mouthwash given by the endodontist or dentist prevents the same problem in other teeth.