A root canal treatment involves removing the infected or inflamed pulp from inside, cleaning the inner layers and sealing. After sealing, the dentist’s then closes the teeth with a cap. A dentist recommends a root canal treatment usually when the center part of the tooth, known as the pulp, which houses the nerves, blood vessels and living connective tissue becomes infected or inflamed. Root Canal treatments in Chennai are one of the most common Endodontic Treatments.

The following are the symptoms or indication for a root canal treatment.
– A severe toothache is experienced while chewing or when pressure is applied.
– If there is a fractured tooth.
– The infected tooth will also darken in color.
– Swelling of the gums around the infected tooth.
– Prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures will be experienced even
after the heat or cold has been removed.
– Rarely patients might not be presenting with any symptoms. In such cases, a
regular dental visit will help in early detection.

A large cavity in the tooth where the infection has reached the pulp (blood and nerve supply of the tooth) is a condition where root canal treatment should be performed. Only a root canal treatment can help to salvage the decayed tooth.
If the repair of the tooth can be done because it is moderately strong as diagnosed by the dentist, can withstand the treatment procedures and can be salvaged, then root canal treatment can be done.

During the initial visit, the dentist will take an X-Ray to analyze the shape of the root canal and to determine if there is an infection around the bone. Then the dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the area around the tooth. Then a sheet of rubber is placed around the tooth to keep it saliva-free during the entire root canal treatment procedure (if needed). The tooth is then drilled to access the pulp. The pulp along with its bacteria and its surrounding debris is removed. The tooth is then cleaned with cleaning files and the debris is flushed out periodically with medicament and saline as the root canal treatment is underway. The cleaned out tooth is then filled and sealed with inert materials like gutta-percha. Sometimes the dentists wait till the next appointment to seal the tooth, to ensure that the bacteria is completely removed with medications. Once the root canals are sealed, the cavities are filled and filled. The final process involves placing a crown over the tooth to support the existing tooth. The crown prevents the existing tooth from breaking or damaging and restores it to its full function. Usually, root canal treatment is carried as a single-visit procedure but sometimes it may take two visits depending on the nature and extent of the root canal infection.

Laser-assisted Root Canal Treatment or simply Laser Root Canal Treatment features lasers that do the removal of infected pulp and also cleaning cum disinfecting. Lasers are used to clean and remove the infected and unwanted materials in the root canal of the damaged teeth. They are also used to disinfect the tooth. It also reduces post- operative discomfort, infection rates and use of antibiotics significantly.

Expert Dental care is one of the few dental clinics to provide the best Laser Root Canal Treatment in Chennai. As a matter of fact, at Expert Dental Clinic, laser dental treatments have been employed for many years and we are experienced dentists who can handle not only laser root canal treatment but also other any kind of laser dental treatments.

The many processes involved in the root canal treatment procedure make us assume that the treatment procedure causes immense pain. Drilling your teeth to reach out for the infected pulp can make some people anxious. But the fact is, root canal treatments are generally not a painful procedure with the advancements in sedation dentistry and the anesthesia choices available. Actually, there is no such thing as a painful procedure since the advent of anesthesia. The availability of Anesthesia options causes less anxiety as it is almost painless during the root canal procedures.

This is the most common anesthesia type employed by the dentist. The dentist would administer a dose of local anesthetics by way of injection near the gum area of the tooth or at the entrance of the nerve (nerve infiltration or nerve block) on which the root canal treatment is to be done. It numbs the surrounding area and allows the dentist to freely carry on with the procedure. Hence there is no pain felt when the procedure is done on you. With this anesthesia type, you do not necessarily have to be escorted back to home as you can be on your own.

This anaesthesia procedure is administered for dental phobic patients only. This is a latest sedation procedure where the anaesthetic is administered intravenous. Once administered it puts you in a comfortable state where you do not feel anything what is going around you though you remain conscious. Hence they are completely not aware of any root canal treatment procedures being carried and hence there is no pain at all. Because it gives a completely nice feel and that is why it is also called as “Twilight Sedation”. With this anaesthesia type, you may have to be escorted back home as you cannot definitely ride or drive back home on your own.

That is because of the history and the general perception that the treatment is dreadful. Many advancement in the field of medicine, anesthesia included, have made root canal treatment procedure literally a painless-one over years. It is no exaggeration to say that it is people who have not undergone root canal treatment or who are not exposed to recent advancements in root canal procedures who contribute to this fear mongering. It needs to be emphasized that these days root canal treatment have become simple and the patient needs no rest after the procedure.

A visit to the dentist with your child can be stressful at times. Many children naturally have dental carries due to their wrong eating habits. The worse is when they do not brush their teeth in the night before going to sleep which is common in India. Sometimes when we hear from the dentist that the infection from the caries has touched the root and it is better to do a root canal, we immediately are taken aback. We begin to question what is the logic because we may think that the teeth are anyways primary (milk teeth) and that they will fall automatically as the children grow. But actually children need root canal treatment after-all for other surprising reasons. Actually, the procedure is not called Root Canal Treatment for Children, it is called Pulpotomy or Pulpectomy.

When the child has dental carries that has proceeded to a certain level and if the child complains of the following, they may require a pulpotomy.

• Generally, children too experience the same symptoms as adults when they have tooth decay.
• Constant pain in the dental area.
• Swelling and redness near the dental area where pain has manifested and the carries has gone deep
• Showing sensitivity to hot and cold foods.

Simply put, if your child still has many years to go to get the secondary teeth ( permanent) but has badly infected primary teeth that can be salvaged by pulpotomy, they’re fit to get the treatment. The reasons are explained below.

1. Early infection in the milk tooth of a child can result in a tooth loss if left unchecked. This loss of one or more teeth can severely interfere with the child’s speaking and learning process.
2. Sometimes if the infection is too deep, it may start affecting the underlying gums and underlying secondary tooth too and hence it becomes imperative to salvage the milk tooth.
3. The milk tooth holds on to space where the permanent tooth will emerge. So the milk tooth is removed because of infection, it may interfere with the permanent tooth’s emerging path and so it makes more sense to salvage the infected tooth with root canal treatment.

If the dentist ascertains that the child’s infected milk tooth is on its way to fall on its own and a permanent tooth will replace it eventually in a short span of time, then they may not require pulpotomy.

Root canal usually does not require any medicines to be taken. After the treatment, usually the medication would be a mild painkiller. The dentist might either prescribe an antibiotic or not depending on the severity and extent of the root canal infection. This is decided by the dentist while doing the procedure. The antibiotics are given for a few days, usually 3-5 days.

Having done a root canal treatment as per the dentist’s advice, following are the instructions the patient need to follow to keep the newly done root canal treatment unaffected. Here are those tips.

1. Your dentist would prescribe you some antibiotics and other medications. You need to ensure that you take the prescribed medicines without fail properly on time.

2. Your pain level should normally subside in a day. If your pain is subsisting after few days then you need to keep in touch with the dentist and inform about the non-subsiding pain. In patients with severe infections, they can expect a flare-up of pain and then a reduction
3. You need to keep the root canal treatment done area absolutely clean. Your dentist might advise you to brush and floss regularly as usual. Your dentist, however, would advise you to go soft on at the area of the root canal treatment while brushing and flossing.
4. You need to thoroughly swish and gargle your mouth with recommended mouth wash to keep the dental area clean. If your dentist recommends gargling with warm salt water the next day, go ahead and do it. Salt is a known antiseptic element and it is unfriendly to the germs in the dental area.
5. The dentist would recommend you not to bite too much and go soft on the area where the root canal was done.
6. You need to avoid taking hard, hot and very cold food for a few days until the healing happens entirely. Also, avoid chewing or masticating any type of food on the side at the root canal treatment.
7. Last but not least; get your crown as prescribed by the dentist. Crowns always provide an additional layer of safety to the root canal done tooth.

Root canal treatment is an alternative to total tooth extraction. A natural tooth once extracted is gone for good and creates a missing tooth. A missing tooth creates bone loss and with it many problems proceed. Since the root canal treatment salvages the natural tooth the possibility of a missing tooth is ruled out.

Root Canal treatments are a common procedure and can be done at most specialist dental clinics that have experienced root canal specialists. If you are someone living in Chennai, then you can visit Expert Dental Care at Kilpauk or Porur for getting one of the best root canal treatment in Chennai. Expert Dental Care is a root canal specialist clinic, which is located in Kilpauk and Porur. At Expert Dental Care, there are experienced and skillful dentists who work to make your dream smile a reality.

Dr Sravanthi has also observed in her experience that most people opt for a crown after a root canal treatment in Chennai and they experienced near total satisfaction that their natural tooth has been salvaged. She also elaborates that the total benefit of root canal treatment can be accrued only after placing the crown on the root canal treatment done tooth. So she strongly recommends patients to spend that extra amount to safeguard the teeth totally and thoroughly.

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