Nowadays, RCT has become very common treatment to save the tooth instead of extraction. Still, there are many patients who are afraid of RCT whenever their dentist advises them. Here, in this article, we are going to tell you about all the things you should know about the RCT.
Our teeth consist of three layers- the enamel, the dentin and the pulp. Pulp is the soft tissue which consists of blood vessels, nerves, connective tissue, fibroblasts.
Whenever, the decay or cavity reaches the pulp, the pulp gets irritated and inflamed/ infected, which gives pain to the tooth, at times the pulp can also be dead due to long standing tooth infection.
To get rid of this infection and pain, RCT of tooth is done in which the pulp is removed, disinfected thoroughly and then an inert material called gutta percha (substitute for the infected pulp) is filled in the canals of the tooth root saving your natural teeth instead of tooth extraction.
When do you need ROOT CANAL TREATMENT?
Following are the common symptoms that you may need  RCT:
- Tooth pain that is persistent or repeatedly comes or go
- Sensitivity to hot or cold beverages or food stuffs
- Tooth discoloration
- Pain on chewing or touching the tooth
- Swelling on the gums or the face
How many sittings are required for the RCT?
The number of sittings required for RCT completion depends on the tooth condition. It can be completed in single sitting or multiple (2-3) sittings.
Firstly, your dentist at implant center will check the tooth intra-orally and take the X-ray of the tooth while determining whether it can be completed in single sitting or will required more than one sitting.
A) SINGLE SITTING:
The single sitting RCT can be done when there is no infection (i.e.no long standing tooth infection or pus accumulation) at the root apex followed by crown placement.
B) MULTIPLE SITTINGS:
When there’s following conditions multiple sitting RCT is required,
- Patient showing presence of severe pain, swelling, sinus tract or pus discharge
- X-ray showing long standing tooth infection (i.e. radiolucency at the root apex)
- Re-RCT cases
- Complex cases (such as severe curved roots, canal calcifications, and the medical history) which requires significant time commitment
- Patient giving history of trauma to the tooth
- Root resorption cases
Is it mandatory to put crown (cap) on the root canal treated tooth?
- Yes, it is mandatory to place crown after the RCT of your tooth is done.
- After RCT, as the time progresses, the tooth becomes brittle hence, if excess occlusal load applied on the tooth it can fracture.
- To avoid this, crown is placed to save the tooth giving you full freedom to bite.
- In case if there’s tooth discoloration crown placement becomes significant to hide the discoloration giving you a beautiful smile.
If the tooth is grossly carious, your dentist will advice you first post and core and then crown placement. (To know more about post and core see our blog on post and core)
Are you looking for painless root canal treatment?
Schedule your consultation with our doctor, Dr. Ketan Revanwar, and our team, in our Perfect 32 Advance Dental Clinic And Implant Center in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai , to start your journey to a brighter, healthier smile today!
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