Root canal therapy (RCT) is a widely used treatment aimed at preserving badly damaged teeth, so you can avoid extraction and maintain your bite balance and your smile. While the vast majority of root canals are straightforward, sometimes the tooth’s anatomy makes things a little more challenging. Calcified root canals are a good example.
Fortunately, advances in dental techniques and technology allow calcified root canals to be treated successfully. The key is having an endodontist who’s experienced in treating these teeth.
As a top-rated endodontist practice in New York City, Compassionate Endodontists New York/NYC uses state-of-the-art technology and cutting-edge techniques to treat calcified root canals successfully. In this post, our team reviews the basics of root canal calcification and offers a quick overview of their treatment.
Extending from the center of your tooth down to the tip of the tooth root, your tooth canals contain the “living” tissue or pulp that supports tooth health, including blood vessels and nerves. When the pulp is damaged from decay, infection, or trauma, root canals help preserve the tooth by removing the pulp and replacing it with a special filling material.
Calcified root canals make this process a little more challenging. Root canal calcification happens when calcium deposits build up inside the canal, making it more difficult to access and remove damaged pulp.
Calcification happens for different reasons, including:
Calcification also tends to become more common with age. In the past, teeth with calcified canals frequently needed to be extracted. But advances in treatment mean these teeth can usually be saved and restored.
The underlying treatment of a calcified root canal is the same as for any other tooth: access the damaged pulp, remove it, cleanse the canal, then seal it and fill it. A crown typically is applied to the tooth to protect it. The primary difference between the two procedures lies in how the pulp is accessed and removed, despite the areas of calcification.
Our team begins with a thorough assessment of your tooth. Advanced dental imaging techniques allow our team to visualize the entire tooth structure, identifying areas of calcification before your root canal procedure even begins.
The next step is to make a tiny hole in your tooth. This hole enables the team to reach your canals and clear them out using files or special rotary instruments. Our team uses special dental microscopes to obtain the clear, “up-close” images of your tooth, ensuring every canal has been appropriately treated.
Once the canals are cleared, they’re sealed and filled. We’ll place a temporary crown on the tooth to protect it until your permanent crown is ready to be applied a couple of weeks later.
Our team is dedicated to offering the most advanced treatment options for every patient, providing truly patient-centered care based on each individual’s unique needs. To learn more about calcified root canal treatment or about any of the other advanced treatments we offer, call 929-229-0255 or book an appointment online at Compassionate Endodontists New York/NYC today.
