Root Canal Treatment

The root canal is the part of the tooth where it is hollow, which is right in the middle of the tooth. This part of the tooth is filled with pulpy soft tissues and is also likely to get infected often because of the soft tissue presence. When there is infection in the tooth, this pulpy part of the tooth is removed and the infection is treated. Such a procedure is called as root canal treatment or endodontic therapy. Some dentists also call it as pulpectomy.

The common reason for performing root canal treatment is to save the tooth and get rid of the existing infection. You may wonder what will happen when these soft tissues under the hard outer layer of your tooth is removed. The fact is that the pulpy part of the tooth contains blood vessels and other tissues that mainly help in the growth of the tooth. When the tooth is fully developed, these tissues are not required for the tooth. So, they can be removed and the empty space can be filled. The root canal treatment will help in reduction of pain and swelling.

Causes of damage to the root canal

The root canal is well protected by the outer covering of the tooth. So, it is unlikely that it will get damaged in normal circumstances. On the other hand, there are situations when it can get damaged. For example, the following problems can lead to root canal infection, requiring root canal treatment.

1. A crack in the tooth or a chip off the tooth
2. Presence of a deep cavity or decay in the tooth.
3. Trauma that has led to tooth damage.
4. Repeated dental treatments that has caused tooth damage.
5. Trauma to the face can also cause root damage.

If this damage to the root canal is left without treatment, it can cause other complications. Severe pain is a result of tooth damage. Root canal treatment helps in relieving this pain. Other than pain, root canal abscess could also form. This can also be prevented by the root canal treatment.

Who is qualified to treat root canal damage?

An endodontist is a qualified health professional who will be able to treat root canal damage. An endodontist is specialized in the treatment of the pulp of the tooth and the tooth nerves. These dentists are specialized in not only identifying the cause of root canal damage, but also its diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Should you be scared of root canal treatment in India?

Dentistry as a profession and especially root canal treatment in India has developed by leaps and bounds over the past decades. Today, the treatments provided in India are world class and on par with the root canal treatment provided in the rest of the world. The advantage of root canal treatment or any other dental treatment in India is the very minimal cost of treatment. Since the treatment offered is world class, there is no need to be worried or scared. Here are reasons why you need not be worried about root canal treatment in India.

1. Painless treatment: Contrary to perception about a visit to the dentist, the treatment is almost painless. Adequate local anesthetic is also used to make the procedure gentle and bearable.

2. Excellent professionals: The dentist who will be treating you are world class professionals and they will be able to get rid of the problem to the tooth with minimum effects.

3. Best infrastructure: The private institutions offering these root canal therapy and other dental treatments have pumped in a lot of money to equip their hospitals. So, these hospitals have the best and latest infrastructure, to provide the best possible treatment.

Root canal treatment procedure or endodontic therapy procedure

The root canal treatment procedure starts with the first visit to the dentist or the endodontist. During this visit, an initial assessment of the damage is noted. This helps in planning the treatment so this visit is necessary. Any preliminary investigations, including a dental X ray may be completed on the first visit and get you ready for the procedure.

In the second visit for the root canal treatment procedure will be on a pre arranged date, you are given a local anesthetic injection. After the injection, the area becomes numb and the pulp present inside the damaged tooth is removed. Once the pulp is removed, the area is also cleaned and effectively disinfected so infection cannot recur. Subsequent to the tooth being rid of infectious tissues, the empty root canal area is filled with a sealant material. Usually gutta percha is the sealant material. Filling can be done and a crown is restored so that the tooth is enabled to perform its normal functions. This is the best type of endodontic treatment that you can expect for root canal damage. This root canal treatment allows you to enjoy your food and also retain your normal smile!

Root canal treatment steps

The major root canal treatment steps are listed here. For an experienced dental surgeon, these root canal treatment steps are simple!

1. Administration of local anesthesia.
2. Placing of ‘dental dam’ to create sterile area for procedure.
3. Making a hole in the affected teeth to remove damaged part.
4. Damaged pulp and other tissue are removed.
5. Use of antiseptics which mainly clean the damaged teeth.
6. A canal is created in the affected teeth to fill it up.
7. Root canal fillings are placed.
8. Sealing the teeth to prevent fillings from coming out.
9. Use of oral antibiotics to prevent infections.

Root canal treatment cost comparison between India and other countries

Root canal treatment cost in USA is about $1000. The minimum cost could be about $600.
In India, root canal treatment costs about $100.

This statistic shows that in the USA, the cost of root canal treatment is about 10 times of that in India. If you have to get more than one tooth treated, the cost could also multiply correspondingly. This is the main reason for most tourists to get their dental treatment completed in India. There is also no waiting time and this is another added advantage. You will almost be able to get root canal therapy done instantly in India and this is done professionally too.

Also, you could get other related treatments like tooth cleaning and tooth whitening as these are also available at a very low cost in India. The tooth cleaning in India costs $75 and it costs $300 in USA, so these could be done as a package therapy. Tooth whitening procedure costs $110 in India and it costs about $800 in USA. So, it makes absolute sense to get your root canal treatment and other procedures completed while in India.

Also, remember that if you are in India for any other medical procedure like a surgery, it makes perfect sense to get your teeth also checked. Any problems can be corrected and you could go back home with a perfect smile!!

Advantages of root canal treatment over use of dentures

The natural teeth that a person has are much better than fixing dentures. Dentures may not have the same strength as the natural teeth because they are removable. So, the first choice is to save your teeth by undergoing the root canal treatment. The following are the advantages that your natural teeth will provide you if it can be retained with endodontic therapy.

a. The face will have a natural appearance and natural contours so that you look normal and as usual.
b. A natural tooth prevents other teeth from becoming damaged.
c. You will also be able to have a normal sensation and no queasy feeling.
d. The biting force will be more with your normal teeth and this is a major root canal treatment advantage.
e. Your chewing will be more effective with natural teeth.

The success rate for a root canal

It was thought that the root canal procedure once completed will last for a lifetime in most people. A few failures were thought to exist after the procedure. New research has shown that this is not far from the truth. A research study undertaken by dental surgeons has shown that the dental implants have a 98.4% rate of success. On the other hand, there was a 99.3% success rate in endodontic treatments. This has been noted in a study that followed up a study population of 129 patients who underwent dental implants.

Number of years for which a root canal can last

A properly restored tooth will last a lifetime after root canal treatment. For the therapy to last a lifetime, proper care needs to be provided to the tooth as well as the gums. Regular dental checkups would help in increasing the life of the root canal therapy. Regular checkups of the gums and the tooth would ensure that adequate nourishment is available to the tooth.

Replacement of tooth after root canal

The root canal treatment that has been completed once need not be redone again. The treatment, if done correctly, will last a lifetime. At times, if the root canal procedure has not been done correctly, it can cause pain and discomfort. If the tooth has pain or if it becomes diseased, the root canal treatment has to be repeated.

Other dental procedures in India that can help you save costs

There are also several other dental procedures that will help you to save a lot of costs. A list of these procedures is provided here for you to know.

1. Porcelain crowns
2. Dentures
3. Dental implants
4. Porcelain veneers
5. Whitening of all the teeth
6. Teeth filling is also performed without root canal.
7. Tooth extractions
8. Teeth scaling can also be done.

Cities where dental procedures are performed for international clients

You will be able to get these procedures done in any large city in India. This is also because the best hospitals are in these cities. Other than these procedures, you can also have other kinds of low cost dental surgery in Mumbai or Delhi. Even cities like Chennai and Bangalore boast of excellent hospitals for you to undergo these affordable dental procedures.

Root canal Treatment in Chennai is affordable mainly because of the lower cost of living in Chennai. Root canal treatment in Bangalore or in Delhi would be more expensive. Undergoing the Root canal treatment procedure in Mumbai is likely to cost the maximum because of the very high cost of living in the city. Many people like to know the root canal treatment cost in Pune because of its close proximity to Mumbai. Usually there is no difference between the root canal treatment cost in Pune and Mumbai.

Hospitals where international patients can undergo root canal treatment

International patients have a variety of choice to undergo root canal treatment. Any international patient can go through the list of the top Indian hospitals. The facilities that are available for international patients are provided. It can help in shortlisting the right hospital to undergo the procedure.

Root canal treatment alternative

India being a land of alternative medicine, many medical tourists like to know if there is any root canal treatment alternative. One of the best and simplest root canal treatment alternative is to get the affected teeth extracted. Though there is no alternative medicine or therapy for root canal treatment, some diet changes could help to reduce pain. Avoiding processed sugars from diet will help. Also, using more protein and yellow butter could help in limiting root canal symptoms.