What Are the Three Stages of Root Canal Treatment?

Did you know that a root canal is one of the most feared dental procedures? Given this, people tend to raise several questions about the treatment before going in for one. There have been advancements in dentistry that make the procedure worry-free. A root canal can be relatively pain-free while being very successful.

 

What Is a Root Canal Treatment?

It is a dental procedure required when a tooth is severely decayed and the root canal and nerve of the tooth are infected. When the nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth are extremely infected and not treated, they form pus and abscess. The procedure, also known as root canal therapy, involves medicating and cleaning the infected root canal and nerve.

 

After medicating and cleaning the tooth, it is filled with a root filling. After, your dentist may recommend having a crown placed on the tooth. A crown will give the tooth long-term protection.

 

Why Do You Need Root Canal Therapy?

When you go to the dentist with a toothache caused by decay, they might suggest a root canal. Root canal therapy eliminates the bacterial infection breeding in the tooth and reduces the chances of reinfection. Each stage of the treatment ensures that the probability of reinfection is very low.

What Happens When You Don’t Treat the Tooth?

The tooth will cause you intense pain and discomfort. When you leave it untreated, the nerves and blood vessels in the tooth become extremely infected, and abscesses and pus begin to form. Abscesses can become severe to the point where they cause the face, eye, or neck to swell. You may also lose the tooth root.

What Are the Three Stages of Root Canal Treatment?

Phase 1 - Extirpation

This is the initial cleaning to manage the bacterial infection. First, a diagnosis is made for the tooth. Once it is ascertained that the tooth needs a root canal, you are informed of the cost and process.

 

The dentist numbs your tooth and places a rubber dam on it. The dentist makes a small opening on the tooth and uses small files to clean it. The tooth is then rinsed with an antibacterial solution to kill bacteria. Then the medicine is placed inside the tooth, and a temporary filling is also put over the tooth.

 

Phase 2 - Instrumentation

This stage involves thorough cleaning and medicating of the tooth. It happens one or two weeks after extirpation or on the same day. It involves a thorough cleaning of the root canal to eliminate all the bacteria. The dentist takes measurements and X-rays to ascertain the length of the root canal.

 

Phase 3 - Obturation

This stage is usually the filling of the root canal. When the dentist ensures that the infection is under control, they can put in the root filling. The tooth is cleaned and dried, and gutta-percha (points of rubber) is placed into the length of the root. The gutta-percha is heated to seal it in the root. Then the dentist will set a temporary or permanent filling on the tooth.

For more information on the three stages of root canal treatment, contact Clarity Dental Center for Implant and Family Dentistry at our office in Federal Way, Washington State. You can call us at (253) 799-1490 to book an appointment today.