Article
Extraction or Root Canal treatment
In the initial stages of tooth
decay, there will be no pain. With prolonged neglect the cavity gets deeper and
deeper and involves the pulp tissues, which contains nerves and blood vessels,
it leads to excruciating pain.
Ignorance of the great importance
of maintaining each and every tooth, and ignorance of the treatment options
available often lead to the premature request to remove decayed tooth/teeth. If
the tooth decay has affected the pulp, the tooth has to undergo root canal
treatment.
Each tooth has got narrow canals
in the centre of the root and these canals have to be cleaned and filled. An
experienced endodontist, i.e., a specialist in root canal treatment, is said to
have eyes at his fingertips. With specialized instruments to clean the canals,
an endodontist decides whether the canals have been cleaned thoroughly or not.
For this, they depend on the feel by their fingertips. This feel is developed
by years of practice and makers the difference between a novice and an
experienced specialist.
A properly root canal treated
tooth can serve like a natural healthy tooth- provided- the crown is protected
properly. Even when there’s extensive destruction of the tooth crown, it can be
brought back to form and function. To accomplish this, first, the tooth is root
canal treated. Then part of the root canal filling material is removed. A
strong metal is cemented into this empty canal space. Around the protruding
portion of the metal rod, base is built up, over which, a cap is fabricated and
cemented.
It is often believed that root
canal treatment is very painful. However, with the availability of modern
equipments and techniques, experienced endodontist can make the entire
procedure relatively painless. When the pulp is in a highly inflamed state, the
deep anesthetic effect is difficult to obtain, which can cause some pain- but
not so severe as to avoid root canal treatment and resort to extraction. Every
tooth is worth its weight in gold.