Root Canal Treatment: Everything you should know

Are you afraid of root canal treatment? Trust me, you're not alone! Every year, more than 15 million teeth are treated and saved with root canal treatment or endodontic procedures, so this is considered a routine procedure. In our next article, we will go through the most important steps of the procedure, so you can find out what the process of root canal treatment is!

Root canal treatment treats infections of the dental lining, the innermost layer of the teeth, and is usually a painless procedure. Now you can find out everything about the process and how you can calculate its price!

Root Canal Treatment Procedure

"Endo" is the Greek word for "inside" and "odont" is the Greek word for "tooth". Endodontic treatment treats the inside of the tooth. Root canal treatment is a typical endodontic procedure.

Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and the hard layer called dentin, there is a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, dental nerves and connective tissue and during development forms the hard tissues surrounding the tooth. The dental nerve extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the root, where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root. The pulp is important during tooth growth and development. However, once the tooth is fully developed, it can survive without the pulp as the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.

The process of root canal treatment begins with the endodontist or dentist removing the inflamed or infected pulp, carefully cleaning and shaping the inside of the root canal in the pulp chamber, and then filling and sealing the space.

After a few days, the dentist will place a permanent filling or other restorative material on the tooth to protect and restore its full function. After the restoration, the tooth continues to function without any change.

360 Dental Tip: slight pain may occur in the first days after root canal treatment, so it's worth eating gentle foods and NOT using steroid painkillers to get through this period!

In the middle, you can see the pulp chamber, which contains the dental pulp: dental nerves, blood vessels

Types of root canal treatment

The course of root canal treatment can vary in different ways and we distinguish two main types - surgical (root tip resection) and non-surgical procedure (root canal treatment). Although both have the same goal (to remove the inner tissues of the tooth, stop the infection, and save the natural tooth), the procedures differ slightly in terms of the method of accessing the inside of the tooth. You can read more about root tip resection here.

Variants of the procedure:

1. Manual root canal treatment or root canal treatment with endodontic motor

• During simple manual root canal treatment, the dentist manually excavates, shapes, measures and seals the root canal. 
• A more advanced solution is the use of a root canal treatment motor (endodontic motor), which helps to create and seal the canals homogeneously and guarantees a better quality of the root canal filling.
• Special tools help the dentist to work more efficiently and precisely.
• Mechanical root canal treatment (endodontic motor) can help reduce the duration of the treatment and increase the success rate, so you can save time and energy!

2. Mechanical root canal treatment with magnifier

• During mechanical root canal treatment with loupe, the dentist combines both techniques to achieve optimal results.
• Using a magnifying glass (3-4x magnification), the dentist can see the root canals in detail and identify problems more easily.
• This combined approach can help achieve a higher level of precision.

3. Microscopic procedure

• A microscope allows dentists to view teeth and root canals under a really strong magnification.
• Microscopic root canal treatment can help the dentist to more accurately observe smaller and hard-to-detect structures and the anatomical details of the root canal.

Each root canal procedure has its own advantages and areas of application. The course of root canal treatment depends on the tools available to the dentist, as well as the patient's condition and the anatomy of the root canals. However, the goal of each procedure is to save the tooth and prevent its loss.

At our dental clinic, we have voted for advanced imaging technologies (dental CT, OPC) and mechanical root canal treatment, in addition to which we have also made root canal treatment with loupe available to you at no extra cost, so we can treat even the most complicated cases locally.

Our colleague, Dr. Virág Bognár, examines the tooth to be root-treated using a magnifying glass for more accurate results

When is root canal treatment necessary?

Root canal treatment may be necessary if bacteria in your mouth invade the pulp in the teeth and cause inflammation (pulpitis). The dental pulp (soft tissue inside the tooth, dental nerve) can be attacked by bacteria if:

• There is a deep cavity on the tooth that requires treatment.
• A tooth is cracked or damaged due to an unexpected accident, and bacteria from the plaque infects the lining of the tooth.
• Chronic inflammation has developed around the tip of your tooth's root in a previously root-treated tooth. It can even be a dental focal infection.
• The dental pulp became accessible during a dental procedure. In such cases, in order to avoid a more serious infection, the tooth is treated with a root canal treatment.

What are the signs that you need root canal treatment?

If you have an infected tooth, you may need a root canal therapy to remove the infection and stop the inflammation. Your teeth can be infected without symptoms. If there are symptoms, they may include:

• Persistent toothache: teeth can hurt from many things (heat, cold, biting, knocking). But pain deep in the tooth or radiating to the jaw, face, or other teeth may mean that there is an infection in the tooth that has caused inflammation.
• Painful pressure: if your tooth hurts (aching or dull pain) when you eat or touch it, it may mean that something has damaged the dental nerve.
• Swollen gums: If your tooth is infected, your gums may be swollen or tender.
• Swollen jaw: Your jaw may become swollen due to pus not draining from the infected tooth.
• Discolored tooth: the infection prevents blood from reaching the tooth. This will turn your teeth dark in color. At that time, the dental pulp is already dead.
• Loose tooth: pus from an infected tooth lining can soften the bones that support the tooth, causing the tooth to become loose.

What happens during root canal treatment?

Before starting the treatment, your dentist or endodontist will take a dental X-ray of the affected tooth. He may also perform other tests to determine if the gum is dead, infected, or inflamed, and to confirm whether you need a root canal.

During root canal treatment, the first thing to happen is a thorough examination:

• Taking a panoramic radiograph or OPC or OPT or dental CT scan of your entire facial cavity so that a complex health assessment can be performed. If more than one tooth hurts from the radiating pain, it can be determined which one is causing it.
• The tooth is gently tapped or touched with a cold/hot material to check for sensitivity or discomfort.
• An electrical pulp test (EPT) is performed using a device that sends a gradually increasing electrical current through the tooth to see if the dental nerve responds.
• The dentist checks for signs of swelling of the gums and bone around the tooth.

During root canal treatment, your dentist removes the inflamed pulp. He then cleans and disinfects the inside of the tooth and places a filling on the tooth to seal the cavity.

The tooth on the panoramic radiograph must be root-treated

Root canal treatment consists of the following steps

• Your doctor will inject an anesthetic to numb the infected tooth and nearby gums. If you are anxious about dental treatment, your dentist may give you medication to help you relax. In this case, you will not be able to drive immediately after the treatment.
• Your doctor will then place a thin, flexible piece of rubber over the infected tooth and nearby gums. It is a dental barrier that keeps the tooth dry during treatment.
• The next step is to drill a small hole in the crown of the tooth to access the dental nerve in the pulp chamber.
• Your doctor then determines the location and number of root canals, and then uses small dental instruments to remove the nerves, blood vessels and tissues in the dental cavity.
• After removing the pulp, the doctor cleans (with a root canal needle) and chemically disinfects the pulp chamber and the root canals. In this case, it is possible to use a special vibrating machine, which helps the disinfection and inflammation-reducing substances to enter even the smallest side canals.
• The empty root canals are then filled with a flexible, rubber-like dental material.
• After that, your dentist will seal the tooth with a temporary filling. The filling prevents bacteria from entering the tooth and allows you to follow your usual eating habits. Be careful, because the temporary filling can withstand less load and could fall out.
• Then there is a two-week break while the disinfectants and anti-inflammatory agents take effect. Then, in the last step, the treating doctor places a permanent filling or crown on the treated tooth.

What are the benefits of root canal treatment?

Root canal treatment eliminates tooth infections that, if left untreated, can cause serious problems such as:

• Infection spreading to other teeth.
• Jaw damage.
• Premature birth from dental foci, endocarditis, myocarditis, meningitis, hair loss, eczema, psoriasis.

What happens after root canal therapy?

Your dentist may recommend that you rest for a few minutes before leaving the office. After a root canal procedure, it may take an hour or more for the anesthesia to wear off, which means that your mouth and gums are no longer numb. Some choose to rest at home until that happens, while others continue their normal daily routine.

What are the risks or complications of root canal treatment?

It happens that during root canal treatment, the intervention will be unsuccessful because there was no adequate solution to the tooth infection. For example, if your tooth is badly damaged, root canal treatment may not solve your problems.

If root canal treatment is unsuccessful, your dentist may suggest other solutions:

• Re-treating the infected tooth with another root canal.
• Removing (extracting) the infected tooth and replacing it with a dental implant or dental bridge.
• Root tip resection.

How long does it take to recover from a root canal treatment?

Recovery from root canal treatment usually takes less than a week. If the treated tooth hurts for more than a week, call your dentist!

How should I take care of myself after root canal treatment?

Your teeth and gums go through a lot during root canal treatment. You can help their recovery by:

• In the first few days after the treatment, by eating soft foods. (Well-cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, cream soups, milkshakes).
• If you smoke, try to take a break after the root canal because smoking makes it harder for the tooth to heal.
• Brush your teeth after every meal and floss once a day!
• Use antibacterial mouthwash to keep bacteria at bay!

Frequently asked questions

How can I avoid root canal therapy?

Root canal treatment is a complex process, and it is best if you pay attention to prevention! The best way to avoid it is to practice good oral hygiene and have regular dental check-ups. Brushing and flossing will get rid of plaque. During a regular dental check-up, the dentist can detect cavities and other problems early, before they affect the gums.

What happens if I postpone root canal treatment?

Delaying root canal treatment increases the chance that:

• You lose the infected tooth.
• Periodontal infection spreads to other teeth.
• The infection spreads to the jawbone.
• It forms a dental focal infection, which can damage your other organs and organ systems.

How much does root canal treatment cost?

The cost of dental treatments can vary widely depending on the nature of the intervention and the materials used, but saving one's own tooth thanks to root canal treatment is considered cost-effective.

You can read more about the costs of procedures to be used instead of root canal treatment here:

• Surgical resection of the tooth root.
• The general extraction or surgical removal of the tooth, after which the cost of the tooth implant or the cost of the bridge will also be charged, which is proportionally much more expensive.

The price of root canal treatment usually consists of the following elements (this may differ for each dentistry, but we have no hidden costs):

Removal of old root fillings from root canals, which is charged per canal. The reason for this is that finding the old root canal and cleaning out the old filling material from it requires great precision and wears down the tools a lot.

• Trepanation, which means opening the pulp chamber, from which the dental gut and dental nerves are removed by the dentist, followed by an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic rinse. The disinfectant and/or mechanical vibrator used here, which helps the agents get into the side canal better, can have a price-increasing effect. Our dentistry does not work with hypo, but with a special antiviral and antibacterial agent, which is mechanically vibrated, and if you accidentally swallow the agent during treatment, it will not cause any harm.
• Temporary root filling, which is included in the price of our root canal treatment. There are clinics that charge you for this every time your root canals need to be flushed.
• Root filling, the price of which varies depending on the number of root canals you have.
• Permanent filling or inlay or crown, the price of which depends on the type of design.
• A huge multiplier of all the costs is the type of root canal treatment. Microscopic root canal treatment costs 3 times more.

Is root canal treatment painful?

Root canal treatment can be an uncomfortable process, especially when your doctor injects anesthetic into the gums. However, this is typically the worst part of the entire treatment.

Remember that after the treatment, the pain will decrease and disappear completely over time! Your tooth may be sensitive in the first few days after root canal treatment. Nevertheless, contact your doctor immediately if you feel throbbing pain! A throbbing pain means that the tooth still has an infected pulp.

Root canal treatment is a complex process, but in most cases it is a painless procedure. Thorough preparation and modern dental technologies enable effective cleaning and filling of root canals, thus minimizing discomfort. Nowadays, tools have become available that help precise and effective root canal treatment.

Do you feel pain in a tooth when you drink hot or cold liquids? Do you have a toothache that won't go away? These are signs that your tooth is infected and you may need a root canal therapy. These infections do not heal on their own, so it is important to consult your dentist as soon as possible!

Our expert dentists and staff are supportive in helping you preserve and restore the health of your teeth. Contact us today and take the first step towards painless and effective root canal treatment!