Myth: It’s Painful
Root canals are infamous for being rumored to be painful. Most patients visit the dentist for a problem because their infected tooth pulp is causing them pain, so this can lead to feelings of anxiety about what will happen during the procedure.

Fact: Most Patients Experience No Pain
The majority of patients who get root canal surgery done experience no pain. Remember, your dentist or endodontist (root canal specialist) is a professional that has years of experience and training. The doctor performing this procedure knows how to keep you pain-free!

Myth: Pulling the Tooth Is Better
Many people think that because their tooth’s nerves are dying or dead, the tooth is dead and will need to be pulled eventually. So why not pull the tooth instead of getting a root canal procedure?

Fact: Saving Your Natural Teeth Is Always the Best Option
Although your tooth’s pulp may be infected or dead and need to be removed, removing your natural tooth is not the best option. Saving your natural tooth will always be preferable to removing it. Removing your natural tooth means you’ll need partial dentures, dental implants, or a bridge to help fill the space. All this means even more dental work when you could have the problem solved with one root canal procedure and save your tooth!

Myth: No More Dentist Visits After the Procedure
Some people think that once they have the root canal procedure done, they need not return to the dentist.

Fact: You Need a Follow-Up Visit to Complete the Procedure
Not only is a follow-up visit crucial in order to ensure all is well with your mouth after the procedure, but you’ll also need a crown affixed to the tooth in order to protect it from further damage. Sometimes this is able to be completed with the root canal procedure, sometimes it’s not. Regardless, that follow-up visit is important!

Myth: I Don’t Have Symptoms, So I Don’t Need the Procedure
While some people experience excruciating pain when the pulp of their tooth is infected, other people won’t have any symptoms at all. If you have no symptoms, why would you need treatment?

Fact: If Your Roots Are Dead, You May Not Be Able to Sense the Infection
Just because you may not experience any symptoms doesn’t mean there’s not something wrong! Often times, if your tooth’s nerve is dead, you may not be able to know there’s an infection. You may have other symptoms of an infection, such as gum pain or a bad taste in your mouth.

Root canal procedures are done by experts who know what they’re doing. Being anxious about dental work is normal, but remember that your doctors will take great care of you. Your root canal procedure is meant to alleviate your painful symptoms, not cause them!

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Brush

Tooth decay provides an ideal opportunity for bacteria to access your inner tooth. This often happens through cavities, which are literally holes in your teeth. They often form in the center of the top of your tooth and can quickly lead to bacteria entering your root canal and creating an infection. You can prevent tooth decay by brushing regularly every day; two times a day is ideal. Some dentists recommend brushing after every meal. If you do eat sugary foods or drinks and can’t brush afterwards, try to rinse your mouth with water so the sugar isn’t sitting on your teeth causing damage. Remember that proper brushing is more beneficial than harder brushing, which can further damage your enamel over time.

Floss

Flossing enables us to get at those tight spaces in between our teeth that are impossible for toothbrushes to reach. Pieces of food as well as tiny food particles can get trapped here and cause growth of bacteria and eventually contribute to tooth decay. Flossing is easy and can be done once a day either during one of your brushing sessions or in between sessions. Just remember to floss with the proper stuff—objects like toothpicks or even pencils are not designed to do the same job that floss does and can even harm your teeth and gums. There are many different flossing instruments out there—from water picks to flossers, your flossing routine is easier than ever. Prevent plaque, bacteria, and tooth decay by flossing once a day.

Eat Well

Our diets affect much of the damage in our mouth, especially when it comes to tooth decay and root canal infections. Many foods contain added sugar, and we’re unknowingly consuming around 20 teaspoons of sugar every day! Cut down on processed foods and stick to healthy snacks such as apples and carrots. You can make them fun by bringing along natural peanut butter for your apple and hummus for your carrots! Drink water whenever possible instead of juices or sodas. It’s important to stay hydrated as well—having a dry mouth can further contribute to tooth decay, which can lead to root canal infections.

Preventing tooth decay is vital to preventing root canal infections. Tooth decay happens over time and people of any age can be at risk. To keep your tooth’s root canal tissue healthy, simply keep up with your oral health. Brush and floss regularly, eat well, and schedule visits to your dentist every six months. Painful root canal infections can be prevented with these simple tips!

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What Situations Call for Root Canal Microsurgery?

– When nonsurgical procedures alone cannot save the tooth

– Diagnostic purposes – sometimes problems persist with a tooth even when nothing appears on an x-ray. This may be the case with tiny fractures or if the infection is in a very small canal that cannot be reached with a nonsurgical procedure.

– Calcium deposits – Such deposits can constrict the canals of the roots. This may make it impossible to reach the end of an infected canal with a nonsurgical procedure.

– Root canal follow-up – While this is not a common occurrence, a tooth on which a successful root canal has been performed may get infected again months or even years later. Or the tooth may become diseased, fail to heal, or continue to be painful. If this is the case, an apicoectomy can help save the tooth.

– When bone or root surfaces are damaged

How is an Apicoectomy Performed?

This form of endoscopic microsurgery involves going in through the gums to remove the infected material and the root-tip. The end of the canal may be sealed with a filling. The gums will be stitched closed allowing for proper healing to take place. Eventually, the bone itself will heal and encase the end of the root once again. This may take several months.

Should You Be Concerned?

As far as surgical procedures go, an apicoectomy is very minor. The procedure should not hurt at all thanks to the local anesthetics that are administered. The pain the tooth is causing should be relieved by the procedure. Pain medication may be provided to help with any discomfort while the gums heal from the incision.

Is There Anything Else I can Do?

If your dentist recommends an apicoectomy, likely the only solutions are the procedure or extraction of the tooth. Since root canal microsurgery can preserve the tooth indefinitely, it is certainly a better option than losing the tooth. Especially since extraction usually means a bridge or implant, root canal surgery can often be a cost-effective solution as well.

In the end, there is nothing better than a natural tooth, even with the great advancements in modern replacements. Therefore, it just makes sense to opt for root canal surgery if there is reasonable hope of preserving the tooth.

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Can a Split Tooth Be Saved Intact?

The short answer is no, but before you surf to another site to get a second opinion, give us a moment to explain the difference between a split tooth and a cracked tooth (which can be saved). We will also discuss treatment options for a split tooth that may, depending on the location of the split, be able to preserve part of the tooth.

The Difference Between Split and Cracked

A cracked tooth starts at the surface of the tooth and extends downward vertically. Sometimes the crack may even reach below the gum line! With the help of a root canal and a full crown, the tooth can be salvaged. However, what happens if the crack continues downward and completely through the tooth- separating it into two segments?

This is now called a split tooth. This generally occurs when some has a cracked tooth for a long time, and either ignores it or perhaps never realizes the crack has occurred. Often, extraction is the only treatment option. Endodontic options, however, may be available if the tooth is split off to one side, leaving the majority of the tooth intact. What can be done?

Endodontic Treatment for a Split Tooth

If only a small portion of the tooth is split from the rest, the tooth still cannot be saved intact, but the larger portion of the tooth may be salvaged. The procedure may involve a root canal, gum surgery, removal of the part of the tooth that has broken away, and other forms of endodontic treatment.

In the end, a permanent crown may be able to preserve the larger portion of the tooth. Again, this is entirely dependent on the extent and location of the split. Thus, if you know that you have a cracked tooth, it is far better to take preventative care and visit a dentist early before a situation becomes worse. Your endodontist is hear to help!

The post Exploring Endodontics: Split vs. Cracked Teeth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

A root canal procedure cleans out dead and diseased tissue from inside the tooth. Root canal has a success rate of around 95%, but in rare cases, infection can return after a root canal. Another problem that arises in some cases is that the canals are too narrow for the dental instruments to enter. When a root canal fails to clean out the infection entirely, or when infection recurs after a root canal, an apicoectomy may be the best way to save the tooth.

During an apicoectomy, the dentist or endodontist opens the gum tissue to expose the bone and root of the tooth. Any infected tissue is removed, and the tip of the root is also removed. The root tip is usually sealed, and then stitches are made. As healing progresses over the next few months, the bone heals around the tip of the root.

Apicoectomies are performed under local anesthesia and are considered to be minor surgery. Because of the precision instruments involved and the frequent use of a microscope during the procedure, apicoectomy is a type of microsurgery. It usually takes about half an hour to 90 minutes to complete.

An apicoectomy is only performed after one or two root canal procedures have been performed and infection has returned or is still present. All endodontic procedures aim to save teeth; the only other alternative to having these procedures performed is to have the tooth extracted. While there are viable options for tooth replacement such as implants or bridges, saving your natural teeth is the most often recommended course of action.

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