What Makes a Successful Root Canal?
Dr. Sonia Chopra, DDS, is a tooth saver extraordinaire. She’s a board-certified endodontist, TEDx speaker, Forbes contributor, author, and endodontic instructor.
June 9, 2019Root canal treatment is a specialized procedure that can save your natural tooth, allowing it to stay functional for decades (or even a lifetime!). However, not all teeth are the same, so the outcome of a root canal treatment can vary widely. Let’s explore what a root canal treatment is, why you may need it, and what major factors influence the success of a root canal.
Root canals, or endodontic treatment, is needed to save a tooth when dental pulp becomes infected or inflamed. When pulp tissue, made up of blood vessels, connective tissues, and nerves, dies, it allows infection to spread to the tooth. To remedy this, your endodontist must remove the infected pulp and clean, shape, disinfect, and seal the root canals, so they don’t become infected in the future.
How to Measure Success of Root Canal Treatment?
1. How Quickly the Tooth is Treated
The sooner a tooth is treated, the better the outcome. If you need a root canal, don’t put it off!
2. The Quality of the Root Canal
Root canal treatment is a delicate, meticulous procedure. If at all possible, it is best to have an experienced endodontist, like Dr. Chopra, Dr. Tadrissi, or Dr. Reiter, perform your root canal. Endodontists have specialized expertise, as they have completed 2-3 extra years of training to be able to successfully diagnose and treat tooth pain.
3. How Quickly the Tooth was Repaired
After you receive root canal treatment, it’s critical to have your tooth restored with a crown or permanent filling as soon as possible. This typically means a second visit to the dentist.
4. Which Tooth Needs Treatment
Your front teeth, primarily used for cutting into your food, have single roots, making them easier to treat. On the other end of the spectrum, back teeth have two to three roots, which complicates root canal treatment.
5. Age
Older teeth are more fragile and have a greater chance of fracturing, whether they’ve undergone root canal treatment or not.
Saving Your Natural Teeth
Root canal treatment is proven to last longer than the alternative solution of extracting a diseased tooth and replacing it with bridgework. Dental implants, another alternative, are shown to be effective; however, they often require more treatment time at a higher cost. Ultimately, there is truly nothing like your natural teeth. A well-done root canal treatment can last forever. Contact us to schedule your safe, comfortable root canal here.