Root canal treatment leaves Kannada actor Swathi Sathish’s face swollen: Know all about the dental procedure

“Root canal is a dental procedure that involves the removal of the soft center of the infected tooth, and the pulp — made up of nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels,” said Dr Nikita Mehra, consultant endodontist, Masina Hospital, Mumbai.

What happens during the procedure?

The entire pulp is removed from the crown, and roots of the involved tooth are cleaned and disinfected thoroughly and then filled with root canal filling material. “The procedure is usually performed by a general dentist or a specialist endodontist under local anaesthesia, and is very safe,” added Dr Mehra.

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Risk factors

Complications can involve minor swelling, pain or discomfort which generally subsides on successful completion of the procedure. “Rare anaesthetic complications can involve paresthesia, which is basically a prolonged feeling of numbness or loss of sensation in the area but is generally self-correcting,” she said.

Complications can involve minor swelling, pain or discomfort which generally subsides on successful completion of the procedure (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

When can severe complications occur?

Severe complications, according to Dr Mehra, occur when a “patient is accidentally injected with solutions other than the local anesthetic agent such as sodium hypochlorite which is used for cleaning the canal, or salicylic acid as witnessed, allegedly, in the current scenario,” she asserted.

Prevention

To prevent severe complications, look for an experienced general dentist or a registered specialist endodontist who have their expertise in performing successful root canal procedures.

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