Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)

What is Root Canal Treatment/Why is it Important?

When tooth decay comes into contact with the living tissue of the tooth, inflammation and infection occur in the area, and if this condition progresses, it can lead to loss of vitality in the tooth. Root canal treatment involves removing the damaged or dead nerve tissue in such teeth, disinfecting the area with appropriate solutions, and filling it with biocompatible materials.

Why is Root Canal Treatment Important?

A successful root canal treatment performed under appropriate conditions with the correct indication, along with appropriate care of the patient, will ensure that the relevant tooth remains in the mouth for many years and will assist in the prosthetic procedures to be performed.

Is Root Canal Treatment a Painful Procedure?

Because root canal treatment is performed under local anesthesia, patients do not experience any pain during the procedure. After the treatment is completed, the pain is usually manageable with simple painkillers.

Should I Use Antibiotics During Root Canal Treatment?

The decision to use antibiotics in dentistry is based on a clinical examination of the patient and is generally based on the patient's systemic condition (for example, whether the patient has a fever or any underlying condition that weakens the immune system). Most root canal treatment situations do not require antibiotics.

Can I Have Root Canal Treatment While There Is Swelling?

The key issues to consider here are the location of the swelling (intraoral or extraoral), its size, consistency, ability to drain, and its systemic effects on the patient. The cause of the swelling is devitalized nerve tissue within the tooth, and for complete treatment, all devitalized tissue must be removed. If the swelling due to infection is visible from the outside of the mouth, is severe, and/or has affected the patient's systemic condition, starting the patient on appropriate antibiotics is the appropriate starting point for treatment.

What is Retreatment?

Retreatment is a treatment that can be applied to teeth that have previously undergone root canal treatment but where the apex has not been reached, where infection has already begun at the apex, or where the previous infection persists. The goal is to remove the previous root canal filling and access the apex and/or the infected area with the necessary materials.

Is Retreatment a Successful Type of Treatment?

The key to success in root canal treatment lies in accessing the root apex using appropriate materials. The key to success in retreatment is based on the same principle, but due to the treatment methods and materials used in previous treatments, complete access to the root apex may not always be achieved. Despite all these drawbacks, the success rate for retreatment treatment in the literature is around 70-80%.

Why is Root Tip Surgery (Apical Resection) Performed - Which Teeth Is It Applied To?

In the root canal system, numerous lateral canals can be present in the apical third of the root (the most distal portion of the root), and filling these lateral canals may not be possible with every treatment. Consequently, despite successful root canal treatment, teeth may become symptomatic. In these symptomatic teeth, which have radiographically successful root canal treatment, have healthy surrounding bone tissue except for the apical third, and are within reach, the root tips are surgically excised and removed, and the exposed root tips are sealed with appropriate biomaterials.