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Health Care, 2
Important Procedures, P. 2: Root Canal, Crown & Bridge
The following information can help you better understand important dental health procedures and treatments. Sealants, Root Canal, and Crown & Bridge.
 Root Canal*
If you have been told a root canal is necessary to save one of your teeth, it is
important you understand why this procedure is necessary and what happens during root canal treatment.
The Facts About Root Canal Treatment: Root canal treatment (endodontics)
treats disorders of the nerve (also called the pulp) of the tooth. It used to be that a tooth with a diseased or infected nerve had to be removed. In 95 percent of the
cases today, however, this is no longer true. We believe in saving teeth (instead of removing them). We make every effort to help you keep your natural teeth for a lifetime!
What Makes a Root Canal Necessary: The following are the most common factors contributing to a need for root canal treatment:
- Trauma, such as physical blow to a tooth or a constant striking of a tooth in the opposite jaw that traumatizes the tooth.
- Physical irritation caused by a deep decay or a very large filling.
- Severe gum disease.
Regardless of the initial cause, the tooth pulp becomes irritated and infected.
Bacteria grow within the tooth pulp, causing pressure and pain, sometimes accompanied by swelling of the face. Sometimes the deterioration of the pulp
happens so gradually that little pain is felt. Either way, eventually the bacteria can destroy the pulp. As this happens, the bone surrounding the tooth may become
infected and abscessed which may lead to the destruction of the bone surrounding the tooth.
What Happens During Treatment: if we determine through x-rays and clinical
examination that root canal treatment is necessary, we will schedule a series of appointments for you. It is important that you keep these appointments to prevent
delays in treatment and healing, which can affect the outcome. It's also essential that you take all antibiotics and medications prescribes to hasten healing and reduce swelling. 
- First, we want to relieve any discomfort you might be experiencing and ensure your comfort throughout the
treatment. When necessary, an anesthetic is used to numb the tooth and surrounding area. The tooth may be isolated with a rubber dam, which confines the treatment
area and protects the mouth from bacteria and chemical agents. An opening is made through the crown of the tooth into the pulp.
- We Carefully remove the diseased pulp. The root canal area inside your tooth is cleaned, enlarged and shaped.
Then, depending on your individual case, the root canal and pulp chamber may be permanently filled and sealed. In some cases, we place a temporary medication in the
tooth to control bacterial growth and reduce infection.
- A temporary filling is placed in the opening of the tooth until the next visit. In some cases, the tooth may be left
open in order to allow the infection to drain. We will decide what is right for your case and do whatever is necessary to assure your comfort.
- At the next appointment, we sterilize the inside of the tooth to remove the bacteria. Throughout the root canal
procedure, we take x-rays to ensure that all of the infected pulp is removed and that the walls inside the canal are smooth.
- To complete the process, the root canal and pulp chamber are permanently filled and sealed.
- Finally, the tooth is fully restored to chewing function.
What Care Follows the Treatment: once the root canal treatment has been completed, you should consider the following:
- Brittleness - a non-vital (endodontically treated) tooth is more brittle than a
vital one and is more susceptible to fracture. Therefore, in most cases, we recommend that your root canal tooth be crowned (capped) following treatment.
- Discoloration - you may notice that your endodontically treated tooth (especially a front tooth) has undergone a change in color. Though this
discoloration is of no medical concern, you may be interested in having the tooth whitened. Be sure to ask us about tooth whitening if we do not decide to place a crown on the tooth.
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Crown & Bridge**
Chances are that if you're considering having a crown, a number of crowns or a
permanent bridge designed, you may have the following questions or concerns.
To assure the most esthetic and functional results possible, your cooperation and understanding are especially important to us. In this d iscussion, we will take you,
step by step, through crown and bridge treatment. We encourage you to ask us any questions you may have
Why Replace Missing Teeth: Losing a tooth can be of social and psychological concern. Teeth are lost for a number of reasons including:
- Dental decay
- Periodontal (gum) disease
- Trauma (injury or accident)
When a permanent tooth is lost, the neighboring teeth are affected. Because the support and chewing forces
are altered, the remaining teeth will begin to move up and out of socket. This accelerates periodontal (gum) disease and causes further
breakdown in the dental arch. If the missing tooth is not replaced, more teeth will eventually be lost, due to the improper forces exerted during chewing.
What Is Crown And Bridge Treatment: Crown and Bridge treatment is a long-term method of replacing missing teeth. A crown
is placed on an individual tooth, (somewhat like a thimble over your finger) where there is no longer sufficient tooth structure left to place a filling.
A bridge spans a space where one or more teeth have been lost in the dental
arch. The teeth on either end of the span are crowned, and are refereed to as abutments. The false teeth in a bridge that join the abutments are referred to as pontics.
Crowns and bridges are most often made from superior material such as precious
metals (gold), semi-precious metals, porcelain, or a combination of metal fused to porcelain. Both esthetics (appearance) and function are considered when selecting the material most suitable for you.
How Is Treatment Performed: At the first appointment a thorough oral
examination, evaluation of your dental history and necessary X-Rays are completed. The diagnosis is based on these three factors. Once it has been
determined that crown and bridge treatment is indicated, you will be set up with a series of appointments. Note: It's important that you keep all of these
appointments. You see, your treatment occurs in a planned sequence. Missing or postponing your appointment may cause treatment delays, allowing further tooth movement before treatment can be completed.
Replacing Missing Teeth:
- Helps restore and maintain the natural bite.
- Prevents unnatural stress on other teeth.
- Helps keep opposing teeth in their proper place.
- Prevents shifting and tilting of adjacent teeth.
- Helps prevent further dental decay and priodontal (gum) disease.
- Maximizes your smile, speech and chewing function.
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*#80-061 Copyright 1988, 1999 SmartPractice PO Box 29222, Phoenix, AZ 85038-9222
All rights reserved. Printed in USA
**#80-066 1987. SmartPractice P.O. Box 29222. Phoenix, Arizona 85038-9222
All rights reserved. Printed in USA.
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