A root canal is the space within the root of a tooth. It is part of a naturally occurring space within a tooth that consists of the pulp chamber. "Root canal" is the term used to describe the natural cavity within the center of the tooth. The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the root canal. The tooth's nerve lies within the root canal.The dental pulp is the tissue which forms the dentin portion of the tooth. When the tiny canals are infected by bacteria the pulp present inside the tooth is infected and the tooth pains.The procedure of removal of this diseased pulp is known as root canal as the procedure undergoes a treatment till the root canal of the tooth.
A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. Without treatment, the tissue surrounding the tooth will become infected and abscesses may form.

What Damages a Tooth's Nerve and Pulp in the First Place?

Nerve and pulp can become irritated, inflamed and infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on a tooth and/or large fillings, a crack or chip in the tooth, or trauma to the face.Other reasons may be untreated cavities, poor dental hygiene, and infection. Some Other reasons that damages the root's nerve and infects the pulp are extensive restorative work, or aggressive brushing.

What are the symptoms that leads to the need of Root Canal?

Symptoms to look for include:

• The first and traumatic indication of the infection and a preparation for root canal in the pulp is toothache. Severe toothache pain may occur upon chewing or application of pressure.
• After the hot or cold has been removed you might fell a prolonged sensitivity/pain to heat or cold temperatures.
• Discoloration or darkening of the tooth.
• Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums.
• A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums.
• A cracked tooth or a deep cavity.

What is the Procedure of Tooth Canal?

A root canal requires one or more office visits depending on the situation and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in human dental pulp or the nerve of the tooth).

STEP 1 : X-ray to see the shape of the root canals and determine if there are any signs of infection in a surrounding bone.
STEP 2 : Your dentist or endodontist will then use local anesthesia to numb the area near the tooth. Anesthesia may not be necessary, since the nerve is dead, but to make the patient more relaxed and at ease most dentists still anesthetize the area.
STEP 3 : Your dentist will place a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) around the tooth, to keep the area dry and free of saliva during treatment.
STEP 4 : An access hole will then be drilled into the tooth. The pulp along with bacteria, the decayed nerve tissue and related debris is removed from the tooth.
STEP 5 : Next the tooth is cleaned using root canal files. A series of these files of increasing diameter are each subsequently placed into the access hole and worked down the full length of the tooth to scrape and scrub the sides of the root canals. Water or sodium hypochlorite is used periodically to flush away the debris.
STEP 6 : Once the tooth is cleaned, it is sealed. Some dentists like to wait a week before sealing the tooth. Others may choose to seal the tooth the same day it is cleaned out. If the root canal is not completed on the same day, a temporary filling is placed in the exterior hole in the tooth to keep it uncontaminated between appointments.
STEP 7 : To fill the interior of the tooth, a sealer paste and a rubber compound called gutta percha is placed into the tooth's root canal. To fill the exterior access hole created at the beginning of treatment, a filling is placed.
STEP 8 : This step may involve further restoration of the tooth. Because a tooth that needs a root canal often is one that has a large filling or extensive decay or other weakness, a crown, crown and post or other restoration often needs to be placed on the tooth to protect it, prevent it from breaking and restore it to full function.

Is the Procedure Painful?

Root canal is a painful procedure as it has been reputed. But, most people report this procedure as no more painful than having a filling done.

What is the longivity of a Restored Tooth?

With proper care the restored tooth/teeth can last a lifetime, but tooth decay can still occur in the treated teeth so to prevent further problems good oral hygiene and regular dental exams are necessary.
But root-treated teeth can become brittle and are more prone to fracture as there is no longer a pulp keeping the tooth alive. This issue should be considered while deciding whether to crown or fill a tooth after root canal treatment.
Compare the new X-rays with those taken prior to treatment to see whether bone continues to be lost or is being regenerated. This determine the success or failure of root canal treatment.

What is the Recovery Period for tooth having Root Canal Treatment?

For the first few days after the treatment the tooth may feel sensitive due to natural tissue inflammation especially in those cases where their was pain or infection in the tooth.This sensitivity or discomfort usually can be controlled by some pain killer medicine. Mostly patients return to their normal activities the very next day.
As precausion you can minimize or avoid chewing on the tooth under repair until the permanent filling is in place and or it is crowned. This may prevent a fragile tooth from breaking before the tooth can be fully restored and can help avoid recontamination of the interior of the tooth. Brush and floss as you regularly do to maintain a sound oral health and visit your dentist at normally scheduled intervals.

How Successful is Root Canal Treatment?

Root canal treatment is reported as a highly successful treatment and has more than a 95% success rate. Mostly teeth fixed with a root canal can last a lifelong.

What can be the Complications of a Root Canal

New infections might emerge in the throughly cleaned and sealed tooth. The reasons for this may be...

• There can be an undetected crack in the root of a tooth.
• A defective or inadequate dental restoration that may cause the bacteria to enter the restoration into the inner aspects of the tooth and recontaminate the area.
• The inner sealing material may breakdown over time which may also cause the bacteria to recontaminate the inner aspects of the tooth.
• Sometimes endodontic surgery is tried in order to save the tooth. Apicoectomy or root-end resection is the most common endodontic surgical procedure is. This procedure relieves the inflammation or infection in the bony area around the end of your tooth that continues after endodontic treatment.

How much will a Root Canal cost?

There are many factors that affect the cost of root canal treatment. It mostly depends on which tooth is involved and where you live. Generally, it is directly related to the chair time necessary to perform the treatment as well as to the costs of the staff, training, and technology that the dentist has available when performing the procedure. There are many factors that influence the amount of chair time...

• The position where the tooth is in the mouth.
• The number of roots and the number of canals within these roots.
• Root curvatures and the length of the roots.
• Special dental considerations.

Many dental insurance policies cover endodontic treatment. A ballpark estimate for the root canal treatment performed by a general dentist could range from $350 to $540 for an incisor and $520 to $800 for a molar but not including a dental restoration following the procedure. The fees charged by endodontists could be up to 50% higher.

What are the alternatives to a Root Canal Treatment?

If possible saving your natural teeth is the very best choice and the best option. With your natural teeth you can eat a wide range of foods which is necessary to maintain proper nutrition. The root canal procedure is the treatment which you choose.
Having the tooth extracted and replaced with a bridge, implant, or removable partial denture to restore chewing function and preventing the shifting of your adjacent teeth are some alternative to a root canal procedure. Compared to a a root canal procedure these alternatives are more expensive. They also require more treatment time and additional procedures are required for the adjacent teeth and supporting tissues.

How to Prevent Root Canal ?

Following good oral hygiene practices by brushing twice a day, flossing at least once a day, and scheduling regular dental visits may reduce the need for a root canal procedure. A sports-related injury which can cause a trauma can be reduced by wearing a mouth guard.