A root canal is a treatment used to get a patient out of pain and save a tooth. When decay develops past the enamel and dentin, it can enter the pulp of the tooth which houses the nerves and blood flow of each tooth within the canals. Most of the time, a root canal can be completed in one appointment but on occasion, two appointments are necessary. Let’s take a look to understand what each approach looks like.
Single Appointment Root Canal Therapy
Two appointments was industry standard until the 90s when single appointment treatment began to become popular. Single appointment treatment became possible due to advancements in dental technology and technique which allowed dental professionals to provide treatment at an increased speed with efficiency and without compromising the quality of dental work.
There are advantages of single appointment root canal therapy for both the patient and the provider. Patients can enjoy the convenience of finishing necessary treatment in under two hours. Depending on the number of canals and the location of the affected tooth, appointment times range from 30 minutes for anterior teeth which only have one canal to 90 minutes or an hour 45 minutes for posterior teeth which can have up to 5 canals. Time away from the responsibilities of life is minimized with single appointment treatment.
The provider has an easier time maintaining familiarity with the affected tooth’s canal system when the entire procedure is performed in one sitting. Additionally, there is no risk of bacteria leaking from the untreated canals into the freshly treated canals between visits.
Two Appointment Root Canal Therapy
In the event that two appointments are necessary, the first appointment will be focused on cleaning the canals of infection and bacteria to get the patient out of pain. Once the canals are clean and shaped, the doctor will place an antimicrobial agent in the canals to help continue disinfection and protect the tooth from reinfection until the treatment can be completed. The time between appointments will be based on what medication is used and the amount of time that it continues to be effective, typically between one and three weeks.
The two appointment approach can be advantageous as it allows the doctor time to evaluate the progress of the tooth’s healing process before treatment is completed. It can also make it easier to manage endodontic flare-ups that may occur.
The number of appointments that the specialist chooses will be determined on a case-to-case basis. The degree of infection is a major factor in this decision since the two appointment approach is more effective in disinfecting the canal system with an antimicrobial than a one appointment case in which the antimicrobial agent does not sit as long.
If you need to have a root canal, the endodontist will talk to you and decide if a single visit will work for your individual case or if you would be better cared for with a two appointment treatment plan.