The mere mention of the word ‘root canal procedure’ is enough to send shivers down the spine of some individuals, who are clueless or rather ignorant of what the procedure entails. The root canal is viewed as a painful procedure that despite its eventual benefits, may cause one to shatter at the thought of having it done. The whole misconception around its pain and high cost may discourage many people from having it done, without the realisation that it will save their teeth. Sterling dental clinic, a top dental clinic located in Nairobi, Kenya, offers root canal treatment at a friendly and affordable cost. This discourse is meant to shed light on this life-saving procedure and put an end to the lies and misconceptions flying around. So just sit back and follow along as we break down this enigma.

Root canal treatment is also called endodontic treatment. This is a treatment procedure that is used to eliminate bacteria that may have infected your root canal or the inside part of your tooth.  These bacteria might be residing in the mouth, but eventually finds their way into your teeth. They may cause infections on the pulp, and damage the root canal or nerves. The structure of the tooth comprises:

• Enamel- the hard outer coating.
• Dentine- the softer material that supports the enamel and forms most of the tooth.
• Cementum- the hard material coating the room surface.
• Dental pulp- the soft tissues that are at the centre of the tooth. It contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues that nourish the root during its development.

Teeth root canals consist of the pulp chamber which extends to the root canal tissues. Infections may occur due to deep decay on the tooth or if the tooth has undergone repeated dental procedures, has a crack, or chip or has had large fillings. They may also happen due to trauma in the face or the tooth itself. If any of these cases betide, endodontic therapy is required to save the tooth. It is important to note that when the pulp is infected or attacked by a disease, it cannot heal itself.

The infection causes nerve irritation, which leads to swelling and inflammation of the tissues inside the tooth, making it unbearably painful. Moreover, bacteria and other debris may form an abscess in the tooth. An abscess is a pus-filled pocket that forms at the root end of the tooth. It usually develops when the contamination from bacteria spreads from the pulp to the end of the roots. These infections may also cause bone loss at the tip of the root and drainage problems extending outwards from the root.

Signs that you need a root canal treatment.

Some of the common signs that you need to see a dentist or an endodontist for root canal treatment are:

• Tooth sensitivity that ligers, especially due to alteration in temperatures,
• Pimples on the gums,
• Pain when pressure is applied to the tooth,
• Persistent toothaches,
• Swollen jaws,
• Chipped or cracked teeth,
• Swollen and painful gums,
• Deep decay,
• Darkened gums,
• Loose tooth.

If you have noticed any of these symptoms, you might need to include us in your schedule, and pay us a visit for a consultation. At the sterling dental clinic, we have your back. We guarantee you the best services, at friendly costs. At the clinic, you shall be assigned to one of our amazing and highly qualified dentists, who will take you through the required course of action. They will conduct a physical examination of the tooth, and analyse the condition of the defect. Our commitment to providing excellent services ensures that our facility has the latest cutting-edge technology for treatment. We have digital dental X-ray devices, that will help our specialists have a better visualisation of the teeth, and understand the condition. They then come up with a medical analysis and explains it to you in deep insight. Moreover, they make the prerequisite recommendations on the best mode of treatment for you.

Preparing for the procedure.

To ensure that the procedure is completely effective, the endodontist gives some guidelines that you shall be expected to follow as you prepare for the operation. These include:

• Take all the prescribed medication- The specialist doctor will give you some antibiotics to take before the procedure. This is essential, especially where bacterial infection is rampant.
• Avoid smoking- specialist doctors advise clients who are smokers to abstain from smoking days before the appointment day.  This is because tobacco products interfere with the body’s self-healing abilities.
• Eating healthy meals- The local anaesthesia used during root canal therapy will make your mouth numb for a few hours. We advise our clients to eat well before the operation, to keep hunger away and to have enough energy for the day.

The Procedure.

Root canal therapy is performed at the dentist’s office, on an outpatient basis.  It involves a couple of steps as outlined here.

• Anaesthetic– the medics will place a decent amount of numbing spray on the area under treatment.  Once it has taken effect, local anaesthesia is injected into the gums. You may feel a little pinch or burning sensation, but it subsides quickly. The anaesthesia is meant to prevent pain, keeping the procedure as pain-free as possible.
• Dental dam placement- the medic places a small rubber dam over the area, to isolate the tooth and keep it dry during the procedure.
• Access hole- the doc then makes a minor opening on the crown of the tooth to access the pulp.
• Pulp removal- the specialist uses tiny dental equipment called files to remove the pulp chamber. They ensure that all the debris material is removed.
• Shaping of the canals- after removal of the pulp, the pulp chamber and root canals are cleaned, shaped, and disinfected with antibiotics.
• Filling the canals- The specialist then fills the empty canals with a flexible, rubbery dental material called gutta-percha.
• Sealing the tooth- The medics then place a temporary dental filling to seal the tooth and prevent bacteria from re-entering. This helps increase healing and prevent reinfection.
• Placing final restorations- After the temporary filling heals, we then recommend a permanent filling for the tooth.  We also advise you to get a dental crown to protect the treated tooth and aid in the restoration of a normal bite. At our clinic, we have the necessary equipment to custom-make your crowns. We make a crown that fits well and suits your dentation best. It takes about 1-3 weeks for the crowns to be made and fabricated fully.

An interesting fact about teeth is that even though blood vessels and connective tissues are important as the tooth grows, (because they nourish the growing roots), our teeth can do without them. This is because roots are nourished by adjacent tissues in case the pulp is removed. This is the whole Idea supporting the extraction of faulty dental pulp. Detaching it from the tooth does not affect the rest of the tooth. The space left behind is treated and then filled with the material to avert reinfection. Endodontic treatment is considered a safe and effective procedure. It is a restorative procedure and enables one to go back to their normal way of life. If well taken care of, the treated tooth can last up to 10- 20 years without any complications.

 In case you are asking what to expect after the procedure, we got you covered. After the procedure is done, it may take you some time to get used to the new tooth, and you feel a little uneasy or have trouble eating. The tooth may be a little bit highly sensitive and you may experience some throbbing pain. This is however manageable with some antibiotics, which our doctors will prescribe for you. You are advised against eating something till the numbness is over and until it’s completely healed, avert chewing hard stuff with it.

Risk of root canal treatment.

It is only in a fantasy world where everything runs without hitches forever. However, in the real world we live in, things are susceptible to risks, even procedures as safe and effective as endodontic treatment. In instances where the damage is too deep or the enamel is too frail to withstand the procedure, root canal treatment may end up harming the tooth. Root canal treatment also puts one at risk of developing an abscess at the root of the tooth. This happens when some infected material remains in the tooth or the antibiotics used are weak or ineffective. The inner sealing material in the tooth may also break down, allowing bacteria to reinfect the tooth. Our doctors at the sterling dental clinic are vigilant to ensure that these drawbacks do not emanate. In the eventuality that they do, we are ready to take the necessary measures, to ensure the success of your operation. That is our pledge to you, and you can take us on our word for that.

 Benefits of root canal treatment.

Root canal treatment is a painless procedure, thanks to the anaesthesia used on the tooth. It is also fast since it takes only 30-60 minutes to perform. The procedure is also safe and involves less risk of reinfection. It has a high success rate with 99% effectiveness among all our clients. Root canal treatment saves you from tooth loss, prevents infection of the neighbouring healthy teeth and aids in promoting dental aesthetics. It also helps prevents the destruction of the jawbone that may be caused by deleterious bacteria. The procedure has zero downtime, and one is free to go back to work, school or any other normal activities. It is also a better and cheaper option compared to its alternatives, which may involve tooth extraction and the consequential use of implants.

Before and after.

Takeaway notes.

Root canal treatment is a life-saving procedure, that makes life easier and improves dental health. The procedure is safe, FDA– approved (up to American and international standards) and here at Sterling dental clinic, is offered at friendly and affordable costs. It is also performed by well-trained and highly qualified dentists, who have gone through the necessary training and have tons of experience. We also have cutting-edge technological devices to use for all our treatments, across the wide range of services offered at the clinic. Visit us today at the Park Suite building in Parklands, Nairobi for your consultation and treatment or contact us to book an appointment. Sterling dental clinic has the answer for all your dental remedies. Make us your friend and partner and we shall put a worthy smile on your visage all the time.