Stopping Root Canal Treatment Is Not Okay — You Must Finish It to the End!

When people hear at the dentist that “root canal treatment is needed,”

they often feel worried first.

Because the treatment process may be carried out over several visits,

and the burden of the number of appointments

can make some people hesitate.

However, once root canal treatment has started,

it is very important to complete it

all the way to the end.

I will explain what root canal treatment is,

and why stopping it is risky! 🦷

Root canal treatment is

a treatment that removes the infected tissue

and cleans and refills the inside of the tooth

when the pulp inside the tooth

(the nerve and blood vessel tissue)

has been damaged by a bacterial infection.

First, the decayed or infected area is removed,

and a path is created to access the inside of the tooth.

The inflamed nerve tissue is then

removed first.

After that, the complex root canal system

is washed and disinfected several times

to remove as many bacteria as possible,

and then the treatment is completed

by sealing it with a special material

to prevent reinfection.

It can also be thought of as

the last resort for saving a painful tooth

without extracting it.

This process does not end in one visit

and is usually carried out over about 3 to 5 sessions,

and if the inflammation is severe

or the shape of the tooth root is complex,

the treatment period may be longer.

But sometimes, when the pain decreases,

people think, “Isn’t it okay now?”

and stop coming on their own.

However, even if the pain goes away,

you should not stop on your own;

you need to receive the treatment until the end.

If treatment is stopped,

the biggest problem is the risk of reinfection.

If treatment stops before the inside of the root canal

is fully disinfected and sealed,

it becomes an environment where outside bacteria

can easily enter again.

This can cause inflammation at the tip of the tooth root,

or in severe cases, develop into an abscess

filled with pus.

If this condition continues,

it becomes difficult to resolve with simple root canal treatment,

and it may lead to retreatment or, in severe cases,

to extraction,

so it is much more important

to properly complete the initial treatment.

In addition, teeth that have undergone root canal treatment

become gradually weaker

as the blood supply is cut off.

That is why, after treatment is finished,

a crown (prosthetic restoration)

needs to be placed to protect the tooth

from external impact.

If this step is skipped, even a tooth that looks strong

can easily break or crack

from a small impact or pressure during meals.

In fact, after root canal treatment,

there are not a few cases where a tooth is left without a crown,

then fractures and ends up needing extraction,

so you should complete the crown restoration as well.

Stopping root canal treatment Stopping root canal treatment

Root canal treatment is not simply a treatment

that removes pain;

it is an important treatment for using your natural teeth

for a long time.

If it is stopped in the middle,

it can end up causing bigger problems

than before treatment,

so please make sure to continue treatment steadily

according to the visit schedule provided by the dental clinic! 🦷

Seoul Ob Dental Hospital 4th and 5th Floors, 196 Baekjegobun-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul