Noblesville, Carmel and Fishers, Indiana dentists: When it needs to be done, do it now!

What is root canal treatment?

An abscessed tooth may cause pain and/or swelling. When bacteria (germs) enter your tooth through deep cavities, cracks or flawed fillings, your tooth can become abscessed. An abscessed tooth is a tooth with an infection in the pulp. If pulp becomes infected, it needs to be removed.  The infection may be noticed by your dentist from a dental x-ray or from other changes with the tooth. If left untreated, an abscessed tooth can cause serious oral health problems.

Who can perform a root canal treatment?

Your dentist can do root canal treatment or refer you to an endodontist. An endodontist is a dentist who has completed a university post-graduate specialty program in endodontics. Endodontics is a specialty of dentistry concerned with the treatment of the dental pulp or nerve of the tooth.

How is a root canal treatment done?

1. The dentist gives you a local anesthetic (freezing).
2. An opening in the tooth is made to reach the root canal system and the damaged pulp.
3. Using very fine dental instruments, the dentist removes the pulp by cleaning and enlarging the root canal system.
4. The dentist fills and seals the canal after the canal has been cleaned.
5. The opening of the tooth is then sealed with either a temporary or permanent filling.

Tooth restoration after the treatment

Your tooth has to be restored to look, feel and work as much like a natural tooth as possible. If an endodontist performed your root canal treatment, he or she will fill the opening of the tooth with a temporary filling and send you back to your dentist to restore your tooth.

What else do I need to know?

Root canal treatment can be done in 1 or 2 appointments. After root canal treatment, your tooth may be tender for the first week or two. You should NOT have bad pain or swelling. If this happens, call your dentist or endodontist.

Root canal treatment does not protect your tooth from other types of damage. You can still get a cavity or gum disease after a root canal treatment. With proper care and regular dental visits, the tooth could last as long as your other teeth.

Root canal retreatment

In some rare cases, a second root canal treatment is needed. This is called retreatment. When retreating a tooth, the root canal filling material is taken out, and the canal is recleaned, reshaped and refilled.