Root Canal Treatment (Endodontics)

What is root canal treatment?

Root canal treatment is the cleaning, disinfection and filling of infected nerves in the canals of the tooth as a result of cracks and fractures in the teeth, caries in the teeth, wrong treatment processes, incorrect restorations, and the loss of vitality of the nerves and vessels in the tooth.First of all, it should be known that no artificial tooth can replace the natural tooth. Therefore, we have to protect our natural teeth by treating up to the last point. When one of our teeth is sick, one of the most well-known methods of protection is root canal treatment.

Root canal treatment helps protect damaged teeth. When the pulp (the soft layer inside the tooth containing the nerve, blood, and lymph vessels) is damaged to such an extent that it cannot repair itself, the pulp dies.It is usually caused by bacteria from broken teeth or deep cavities. Bacteria cause inflammation in the core of the tooth. If the damaged or diseased pulp is not removed, the tooth and surrounding tissues are exposed to infection. And in the end, you may lose your tooth completely. In cases where the pulp cannot heal itself due to deep caries and cracks, the tooth loses its vitality and the infection can spread to the whole tooth.

If root canal treatment is not performed, the infection can reach the tissues at the root tip. The jawbone surrounding the tooth is also inflamed and eroded. An abscess is formed in this space. This picture is accompanied by pain and swelling, and the tooth is lost in a short time.

What are the stages of root canal treatment?

First of all, the correct indication of the tooth for which root canal treatment will be performed should be determined by taking a good intraoral examination and radiography. If the tooth has not lost its vitality or a root canal treatment has not been performed before, appropriate anesthesia is applied to the tooth and the sensitivity of the tooth is removed.

All caries in the tooth are cleaned and a suitable space is created to reach the pulp. After the root canal length of the tooth is determined with electronic instruments or radiography, infected tissues in all pulp and root walls are cleaned in the working length. In the meantime, the channels are washed frequently with disinfectants inside the channel and the microorganisms in the channel are removed.

If there is no inflammatory finding in the canal, root canal treatment can be completed in a single session.  However, in teeth with inflammation at the root tip or for which root canal treatment has been performed before, the drug should be placed in the canal and waited for 5-7 days, and the root canal treatment should be completed accordingly.

Fiber Post Application

Fiber post application  or post core application is a treatment method that prevents the failure of fillings made on teeth with excessive substance loss and is supported by root canal treatment. Nails and screw-like structures are called “ posts ”. Post-core can be produced in the laboratory from metal alloys by casting process, or it can be applied using ready-made root screws and composite filling materials. With the fiber post   , which aims to strengthen the tooth root,  tooth fractures and losses caused by material losses are prevented.

How is Fiber Post Application Made?

If there is no tooth wall left in the teeth undergoing root canal treatment, but the roots are intact, a post that is supported by the root canal is made. The insertion of fiber rods into the root canal strengthens the teeth.Root canal treatment should be performed first on the tooth to which the post will be applied. After the root canal treatment is completed, the canal and pulp chamber are shaped by the dentist. The size of the prepared tooth is taken and sent to the laboratory for metal post and core making. The prepared post-core is adhered to the root by the dentist. The core and remaining tooth tissue are shaped before the artificial tooth is placed on it. Post core will be an advantageous option in cases where there is no tooth structure that can be filled, fiber-supported filling or veneer alone.

Situations where Fiber Post or Post Core Application Cannot Be Applied

 Situations in which the treatment method, known as post placement or  fiber post , which strengthens the teeth from the root and crown by placing fiber rods into the root canal, cannot be applied:

  • Having thin and crooked rooted teeth that do not allow root canal treatment,
  • Having teeth with clogged root canals (calcified) and where root canal treatment cannot be performed,
  • Fractures or cracks in the roots of the teeth,
  • Having teeth that are under the gingiva and unsuitable for restoration,
  • Having excessive caries, including the root of the tooth,
  • Poor oral hygiene.
  • Since the bone tissue supporting the tooth is not healthy and the bone destruction is high, it is not suitable for post core and fiber cost application, so physicians will require treatment with different methods.