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Do your gums bleed more easily whenever you brush your teeth, or eat? This could be an early stage of Gingivitis, which is a form of gum disease, and cleaning the teeth by scaling and polishing is highly recommended. If this gingivitis remained untreated or left as it is, an inflammation will develop and will go down the very foundation of the tooth, leading to what we term in the dental world as “periodontal pocket”. This periodontal pocket will serve as the breeding ground for more bacteria and thus leading to more serious gum problems, like breaking the bone support of the teeth making them loose, and eventually losing them. In the presence of periodontal pockets, we recommend periodontal cleaning known as deep cleaning or root planing. Our dentists get rid of the bacteria in these pockets by cleaning between the gums and the teeth down to its very roots, plaque is broken down to pieces, and clean away the teeth to initiate gum healing. One of the most effective ways of getting rid of gum disease before it becomes worse is Root Planing and Scaling. In most cases, local anesthetic is applied to numb the gum and the roots to make the procedure as comfortable as possible.
A Root Canal Treatment procedure primarily consists of removing the tooth's infected pulp, cleaning and shaping the root canals, and finally disinfecting and filling to seal them so that they would be less susceptible to future infection. The procedure usually requires one to three visits depending on the number of teeth and severity affected.
Treatment starts with numbing the area around the affected tooth or you may be offered an option of mild sedation. The tooth is then drilled to the pulp area either to through the top or the back of the tooth. After some of the pulp has been removed, the actual root canals are measured either through x-rays or electronic imaging devices. The rest of the diseased pulp in the tooth is then removed and thoroughly cleaned with an antiseptic solution, including all the canals within the tooth. The canals are then filled with a flexible plastic material known as a Gutta Percha and a temporary filling is applied on top of it. Within a month or less, if there has been no sign of infection, a dental crown or permanent filling will be applied to replace the temporary filling. Placing a dental crown over a root canal treated tooth is ideal, not only to cover it, but to protect it from damage, thus increasing the lifespan of the treated tooth. In some cases there would be a need to reinforce a badly damaged tooth by placing a Post, which is usually made of titanium. Expect two to three days of soreness after the procedure, or longer if the infection in the root canal was severe. The root canal procedure is successful over 92 percent of the time. The biggest advantage is that the tooth will not need to be extracted in the future, thus saving your natural tooth and your precious smile.
Nature provided us with our natural teeth to look better when we smile, but more importantly, they play a role in overall nutrition and general health. Our teeth allows us to follow a healthy diet and stay well nourished by preparing the food we eat for swallowing and digestion. But over time our teeth becomes damaged due to gum disease or tooth decay. Time and time again, it is proven that opting for a root canal treatment over direct tooth extraction or other restorative procedures like Dentures, Dental Bridges, or even Dental Implants is far more ideal considering longevity, treatment time, and costs. At Smile Studio Phuket Dental Clinic, we are committed in preserving your precious natural teeth. Our team of Endodontists - dentists who specialize in the treatment of root canals, are well-trained and dedicated in carrying out such an important tooth-saving procedure. Our Dental Clinic is well-equipped with the latest in technology with regards to Root Canal or Endodontic Treatment. We do our best to make sure your treatment is carried out with the highest quality possible, because needless to say, no dental procedure is more important than that of preserving the set of teeth that nature has gifted us with.