Steps to a Root Canal and FAQ
What are the specific steps of a root canal?
A root canal is a relatively simple procedure. The process is as follows:
The dentist will examine and x-ray your teeth, after which they will apply a local anesthetic. After numbing your tooth, a small sheet (dental dam) will be placed on the area to sequester the tooth and ensure that it is free of oral fluids during the root canal.
A small opening will be made on the top of the tooth (the crown). The pulp inside the tooth will then be cleaned, as well as the root canals and the space will be shaped to prepare for the filling. All of this will be done with very small and specialized instruments, and because of the local anesthesia, you should not feel anything at all.
The root canals will be filled with a biocompatible material, usually gutta-percha. This is a rubbery material that will be placed to seal off the root canal. Usually, a transitory filling is put in place to block the openings. This will be taken out at the time that your tooth is restored.
You will need to again visit your dentist for the final stage, which might involve the placing of an on the tooth to ensure that it retains all the functions of a fully healthy and natural tooth.
Frequently Asked Questions After a Root Canal
Are there any foods that I should not have after a root canal?
After your first procedure, and before your tooth is restored, your tooth is susceptible to fracture. As such you need to ensure that you do not chew on the tooth. So you should avoid food that requires chewing and focus on foods such as yogurt, fish, and eggs. Avoid foods that are hot, as well as crunchy or hard foods like nuts and cereals. As a best practice, you should wait for the numbness to wear off before eating anything.
Can I smoke after a root canal?
Yes, you can smoke after a root canal. However, this is not recommended as smoking increases the risk of you needing another procedure. Smokers need root canals at double the rate of non-smokers and this risk only increases the longer you smoke.
Can I drink alcohol after a root canal?
Once the entire root canal procedure has been completed and the numbness has worn off, you can eat and drink normally, including alcohol.
Can I brush my teeth after a root canal?
Yes, you should continue to brush and floss after your root canal.
Should driving be avoided after a root canal?
Most root canals are done using local anesthesia, so only the area being treated would be numb during the procedure. As such, after the root canal. you can drive or operate any machinery as you normally would, without any issues.
Is a crown required after a root canal?
Generally, teeth that are required for chewing such as the molars and premolars, placed at the back of the mouth, require crowns. Incisors or canines, which are not needed for chewing, generally do not need a crown after a root canal.
Is there any significant care that I need to take after a root canal?
You should take care not to bite or chew on the tooth before it has been restored with a filling put in place. Before restoration, the tooth can fracture easily so check with your dentist soon after your first root canal appointment to get your filling done. Other than that, there are no extra steps to take, and you can continue your regular oral hygiene regime of brushing and flossing.
In most cases, you will not feel any difference between your treated teeth and your regular teeth. In some rare cases the treated tooth might not heal, may continue to pain, or might get re-infected months or years after the initial successful procedure. In these cases, redoing the root canal can restore the tooth.
Other FAQs About Root Canal Treatment
Does a root canal kill the tooth?
No, and after the procedure, the tooth will continue as normal. root canals remove the pulp from the inside of the tooth which contains nerves, but they have no real function in a completely developed tooth and can be safely removed without any adverse effects.
Is it possible for a root canal to not succeed?
It is possible for a root canal to fail because of various reasons -If the canal was not cleaned in the procedure, in case the crown breaks down, or if for some reason the tooth which had undergone treatment develops an infection and in turn infects the rest of the teeth. However, this would be out of the ordinary.
What if I choose to not get a root canal?
It is always better to get medical treatment when required. Without treatment, not only will there continue to be a sharp pain, but an infected tooth can even spread its infection which can prove to be dangerous to both your health and your life.
Can cancer be caused by root canals?
No. a root canal treats a disease (infection of the tooth), and left untreated it can have a severe impact on the health and functioning of the entire body. Any and all allegations that root canals result in cancer are absolute myths and should be completely ignored.
Can root canal discolour my tooth?
In some cases, after a root canal procedure, the tooth can get a bit discoloured or develop specks called ‘intrinsic staining’. This is caused by internal bleeding in the tooth which turns darkens the interior of the tooth. However, this is nothing to worry about and, if you want, you can later whiten the tooth with internal (non-vital) bleaching.
Are root canals performed by a specialist doctor?
While all dentists are trained in how to do root canals, in most cases it is performed by an endodontist. In Greek, ‘endo’ means ‘inside’ and ‘dontic’ means ‘teeth’ so an endodontist is a specialist in the treatment of the interior of a tooth.
Is it possible to be too late to have a successful procedure?
Delaying getting a root canal can often result in the loss of the tooth. This mainly happens when the infection at the root of the tooth has remained infected for such a long period of time that the underlying bone has gotten affected. In such a case, often it is too late to get a root canal and the entire tooth will need extraction. As such, it is best to get a check-up and an opinion as soon as you notice symptoms that you might need a root canal.
Can I eat before a root canal?
Yes, you can eat before you go for a root canal. However, just as with any other dental procedure, your dentist would expect you to brush before your appointment.
Is a root canal preferable to an extraction?
As much as possible it is best to maintain your natural teeth and smile. Extraction is not only more expensive, but it is also a longer procedure and might even have an impact on the surrounding teeth and gums.
