A tooth needs root canal treatment when it loses its vitality and becomes “necrotic” due to trauma, decay, or external physical or chemical factors.

The primary goal is to prevent the onset of other infectious conditions such as granulomas, cysts, or abscesses.

Another key reason is the preservation of the tooth. Root canal treatment, despite removing the organic part of the tooth, has the great advantage of preserving the tooth within the bone.

By saving the tooth, extraction is avoided, and the need to replace the lost tooth with an implant or dental bridge is prevented.

Furthermore, by preserving the tooth, the surrounding alveolar bone will not undergo resorption, thus preventing future issues when placing a potential dental implant.

Duration

The duration of a root canal treatment depends on several factors:

• Type of tooth: a molar takes more time than an incisor because it has more roots to treat;
• Anatomy of the specific tooth;
• Initial condition of the pulp: if an infection is present, the treatment may need to be split into two or more appointments.

Pain-Free Procedure

The procedure is not painful as it is performed under local anesthesia with advanced anesthetic technology. Additionally, conscious sedation can be offered upon the patient’s request.

However, if the dental pulp is highly inflamed, some discomfort may be felt during the early stages of treatment until the tooth is fully anesthetized.

Procedure

1. Opening the pulp chamber;
2. Identification and instrumentation of the root canals;
3. Irrigation and cleaning of the root canals;
4. Endodontic filling of the chamber and roots.

After root canal treatment, the tooth must be properly restored, as a devitalized tooth, lacking normal blood supply, becomes dehydrated and more fragile, making it more prone to fractures.

Depending on how much dental substance has been preserved, various restoration options are available:

• Direct composite restoration;
• Indirect composite, gold, or ceramic restoration;
• Dental crown supported by a fiber post.

Depending on the condition of the tooth before the root canal, including the root canal visit, it may take between 2 to 4 visits to have a perfectly healthy and restored tooth.

Our Endodontics specialists are Dr. Mattia Pitino and Dr. Zocco.

Dr. Mattia Pitino has decades of endodontic experience and has completed several courses with important Endodontics speakers.

Dr. Zocco obtained a Level II University Master's Degree in Clinical and Microsurgical Endodontics at the University of Brescia in 2022.

Meet the team