Root Canal Therapy in Topsham ME

---

What Happens During a Root Canal?

Our team will numb your mouth so that you don’t experience any discomfort during your root canal. Sedation dentistry may be recommended in some cases. Before the actual treatment begins, a dental dam will be placed. This is to help ensure that the tooth in question remains dry while root canal treatment is being performed.

The next step is to create an opening in the tooth. Then we can remove the source of your pain by taking out the pulp. The inside of the tooth will be cleaned very carefully. Once the harmful bacteria and infectious material have been removed, we can fill the tooth again with a biocompatible substance called gutta-percha.

The tooth will be resealed after your root canal treatment. However, the process won’t be entirely done by that point. Our team will need to take an impression of the tooth in question for the purpose of designing a dental crown. Said crown will eventually be attached to the tooth in order to keep it safe.

---

Professional Care For Root Canal in Topsham ME

Root Canal Therapy or RCT, is a dental surgical technique where a hole is made in the affected tooth to gain access to the infected pulp that lies underneath. At that point, depending on the nature of the infection, antibiotics may be applied to clear the infection. The pulp itself may be removed if the infection is too severe, or other techniques may be used.

It is important to get proper RCT from a professional once you have been diagnosed with infected roots or pulp because, without treatment, this can lead to:

• An infected swelling that can spread to other parts of your mouth, face, and head.
• Bone loss around the root area
• Infected fluids can drain into the gums, spreading the infection further or even penetrating the cheek.

In every case, the outcome is the same; ignoring the problem will simply make it grow larger and potentially infect much more of your mouth, face, and head. But, with a proper diagnosis of the problem, a few RCT techniques can be employed depending on the severity of the infection. Some of the procedures that can be employed are:

Pulpectomy

• In the less serious cases, only a partial root canal, or pulpectomy needs to be performed. This is a two-step process. The first visit will give access to the pulp to administer antibiotics and ensure that the infection is eliminated in other parts of your mouth and confined to the pulp.
• Once your mouth has recovered somewhat, the next step is to remove the infected pulp, then thoroughly clean, disinfect and fill the formerly infected canal.

Apicoectomy

• In cases where an infection is more severe and goes beyond the root tip, a dentist may suggest an apicoectomy. The root tip, tissue, and apical infection are treated, requiring a much larger area to be opened in your tooth. Once the treatment has been completed, a biocompatible, rubbery, plant-based material known as Gutta Percha is used to fill in space and seal the tooth from bacteria and possible reinfection.

---

Typically, root canals are recommended by a dentist after a thorough examination. However, if you haven’t visited a dentist for quite some time and are experiencing unusual amounts of pain in your tooth, the infected pulp may be the problem. Call our team at Androscoggin Dental Care today for an accurate assessment and see if a root canal can treat your problem.