Dr Prem Medical Tourism Logo

Root Canal – Common Medical Tourism Procedures

Root-Canal-treatment

Definition:

Root canal treatment (RCT) also known as endodontic treatment is a dental procedure performed to treat the illness related to the tooth’s soft central core called ‘dental pulp’.

Details of Procedures:

In this procedure an infected tooth pulp is removed and the inside areas are filled and sealed. This prevents further infection of the pulp and saves the tooth.

Why it is needed:

Mostly root canal is performed to treat the infection of the pulp called ‘pulpitis’ and to prevent further tooth decay. The conditions in which root canal is advised include:

  • Severe toothache while chewing or biting
  • Tooth sensitivity to heat and cold
  • Swelling near the tooth, or discoloration of it
  • Tooth is broken
  • X-ray findings suggest signs of infection

Facts and Figures:

  • Almost everyone considers root canal treatment as the most painful and difficult of all dental treatment, but in reality this is not true.
  • It is estimated that more than 14 million root canal treatments are performed every year in the United States, with a 95% success rate. (According to American Association of Endodontists)

Advantages & Disadvantages:

Advantages:

  • Successful root canal treatment gives relief from toothache and eliminates the need of tooth extraction in future.
  • High success rate of the treatment, almost 95% of the time.
  • Root canal treatment restores the normal function of a natural tooth by saving it.

Disadvantages:

  • In some cases multiple dental visits are required
  • If infection and inflammation recur, than the repetition of the procedure may be necessary

Risks and Complications:

  • Inflammation or injury to adjacent tooth structure
  • Medicinal reaction
  • Continuous numbness and pain
  • Local anaesthetic reaction

Pre-operative and Post-operative Care:

Pre-operative preparations:

  • Visit dentist and understand nature of procedure and post procedure management
  • Inform doctor about any allergies and smoking habits. Quit smoking.
  • X-rays of the tooth to discover the state of the tooth infection
  • Obtain advice on prescribed medication and medication to be discontinued
  • Ask a friend or relative to accompany you for post procedure assistance

Post-operative care:

  • There will be a feeling of numbness at the lips and around the mouth and cheeks immediately after the procedure; this will go away completely within 3-4 hours—until then the patient should avoid chewing.
  • A temporary filling or crown is placed in the root canal treated tooth.

Do’s, Don’ts and Precautions:

  • Don’t worry if a small portion of a temporary filling may wears away or breaks off.
  • Do rinse three times a day with warm salt water to control pain and swelling.
  • Do take prescribed medications on time.
  • Avoid chewing sticky foods.
  • Avoid hard foods and substances, for e.g. ice, fingernails and pencils.
  • Do continue to brush and floss regularly.

Recent Articles:

Scroll to Top