What is a Root canal treatment? According to anonymous surveys, 31% of the adults are known to have tooth decay and 74% of adults have had their tooth extracted for varied reasons. The reason behind this surprising results is lack of oral hygiene maintenance and people refraining from dental visits. Dentistry today has advanced to a great extent and yet there are many cases of tooth loss each year. Here are a few reasons: Poor oral hygiene Dental cavities Gum diseases Loose teeth Abscess Smoking Tooth decay and Pulp death One of the primary reasons for tooth loss is pulpal death or pulp infection. Pulp death can be caused by many reasons like cavities, trauma and gum diseases. It is how a dental cavity can lead to the contamination of pulp: Bacterial invasion Tooth decay Tooth decay reaches the pulp Pulpal inflammation Pulp necrosis or death Bacteria spreading beyond roots Spread of infection to the bone Extraction When the decay reaches the pulp, it starts giving noticeable symptoms which should not be ignored. The patient will experience immense pain on chewing or biting down which may or may not be relieved on its own. Other than that there is a presence of sensitivity and sometimes food lodgement. Trauma also majorly contributes to the death of the pulp. If the tooth undergoes any shock, it could lead to the bursting of the blood vessels which can further cause the lack of blood supply and eventually pulpal death. However, dentistry has provided a treatment choice that can save a vital or nonvital tooth which cannot be rescued by mere filing, known as the root canal treatment. What is a Root canal treatment? Root canal treatment, which is additionally known as endodontic treatment is a sequential procedure that involves the removal of the infectious and dead tissue from the tooth and preserving it from any further decay or loss of the tooth. In order to understand the treatment, you should know the anatomy of the tooth. The tooth consists of three primary layers - the hard outer layer, i.e., enamel, the inner softer layer, i.e., dentin and the innermost layer, i.e., pulp. Pulp consists of the blood vessels, the connective tissue, and nerves which makes it the vital portion of the tooth. Hence, the death of pulp renders the tooth to its demise. Diagnosis and examinationin: An ideal procedure requires the dentist to take a complete history of the patient along with a proper analysis of the tooth before making the treatment plan. The dentist would take an X-ray which is helpful in determining the extent of the infection and the position of the tooth. It also helps in knowing the anatomy and number of root canals as it could vary from what the dentist has known. Once the problem has been diagnosed, the treatment procedure is done. Anesthesia: Your dentist will first use a local anesthesia to ensure the procedure is painless. The opening of the tooth: A hole is drilled through the crown of the tooth using a dental drill or bur which gives access to the pulp and the root canal. Removal of the infected tissue: This step involves the cleaning and shaping of the root canal. Endodontic files are inserted into the canal to remove all the infected pulp and debris. Irrigation: The canal is then irrigated with a suitable solution to remove any remaining debris or bacteria. Filling and restoring: The root canal is then filled with a Gutta-Percha material to ensure the infection doesn't return. The canals are sealed using a temporary restoration. Crown: Crown placement is done according to the number of visits preferred. Crowns provide support to the treated tooth and prevent it from getting injured.