ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Say the word-“Root Canal Treatment” or RCT and most patients pale a couple of shades. The idea of pain/discomfort of an RCT is so prevalent that hardly anyone is willing to undergo the procedure without a great deal of coaxing.
But that’s a thing of the past. With the advent of latest anaesthetic agents (medicine used to numb the area), root canal treatment is done with minimum or no pain at all.
Moreover, an RCT is life saving- for your tooth of course. Basically an RCT allows you to retain a tooth in your mouth and serve you for a good many more years. The only other alternative to treating a tooth indicated for an RCT is to remove (extract) it.
Many patients think (erroneously) that removing a tooth is the easy and cheaper way out. However, not only are they wrong about it being the shortcut, it generally turns out to be more expensive too.
A natural tooth is a natural tooth. Ask anyone who has had to live with artificial teeth. Therefore, every extra bit of effort that is taken to save a natural tooth is worth it. If your tooth is indicated for an RCT- get it done today.
FAQ
Q: Why is RCT required?
A: Innermost layer of a tooth is called pulp. Pulp contains nerves and blood vessels. When this pulp gets infected due to caries or trauma, an RCT is required. Sometimes, for placing crown and bridges, extra cutting of tooth needs to be done; then also RCT is required.
Q: What is RCT?
A: In an RCT, an opening is made from specific points in the tooth, infected nerves and debris is removed. The area is then disinfected and filled with specific filling materials.
Q: How many sittings does it take for an RCT?
A: With the advent of latest techniques, majority of the Root canal treatments are completed in a single sitting except a few cases in which multiple sittings are required.
Q: Can a root canal treated tooth get re-infected?
A: Yes, root canal treated teeth might see failure due to various reasons. In such cases, root canal treatment can be repeated with fair deal of success. But in some scenarios, tooth needs to be extracted.