Root Canal Treatment

We might find something is amiss in your check-up and X-ray. X-rays offer information about your teeth you’d rarely see by just looking at your mouth. X-rays contribute greatly helping your dentist spot early warning signs.

If you need to have a root canal or endodontics procedure, it’s important to us that you understand what to expect, and how we’re able to support you.

Before we start

Firstly, we’ll go through the basics of your tooth’s anatomy and why it requires a root canal. We’ll talk you through what’s going to happen and alternative options. If you have any questions or are in any doubt, don’t hesitate to get in touch beforehand. We want you to be as comfortable as possible and that you’re not in any pain that during the treatment.

Anyone who needs a root canal or endodontic treatment will typically have an infection in the soft dental pulp within the hard layers of the tooth. The space between these hard layers is called the root canal system.

The centre of every of tooth is filled with soft tissue known as dental pulp, which contains blood vessels and nerves that help your teeth grow as they develop. When this soft tissue becomes infected or inflamed it needs to be removed and filled with a dental substance to avoid further damage or pain.

During the root canal procedure

The first step involves creating a hole in the top of your tooth. We then remove the infected or dead pulp and clean the root canals, then fill them to prevent any more infection. The pulp is removed and the hollow root canal is sterilised, filled and sealed.

We fill the tooth with a biocompatible rubbery material that works well in teeth. It’s used to fill the space the dental pulp left, and is attached with an adhesive to ensure the root canals (the tubes that run from the centre of your tooth to the gum underneath) are property sealed.

In some cases, we may see signs of infection still within the roots after the dental pulp has been removed. In this situation, we’ll discuss your options. However, the safest long-term option is to medicate the tooth to get rid of the infection entirely. If this happens, we’ll place a temporary filling to treat the infection, then return later to have the temporary filling replaced with a permanent one.

Once the permanent filling is in place, the top of your tooth is restored so you can continue biting down on it, as usual.

We find most people will need a crown to protect the tooth when biting. A crown is a cap that fits snugly over your tooth to give it extra strength and restore its shape and appearance. There are different options, so we take the time to discuss what’s best for you. But there’s no rush, we like to wait a little before placing crowns to make sure the root canal treatment was successful. This reduces the likelihood of future problems.

What happens after your root canal

After you’ve had your root canal and a protective crown has been placed, you can expect your tooth to go back to normal. We’ll give you advice on how to take care of your dental hygiene. It’s also important to have regular check-ups to maintain your oral health for the long term

I’m in pain…do I need root canal?

It’s hard to say if you need a root canal without a proper examination and X-ray. While toothaches can indicate a need for root canal, there are different reasons why you could be in pain. It’s always best to let us examine the tooth and jaw to determine the exact problem

 

Some of the symptoms to watch for include:

• Sensitivity to cold or hot liquids or sweets
• Pain when you bite
• Constant or intermittent tooth pain
• Severe throbbing tooth pain
• Tissue swelling of the face

If you’re in pain and experiencing discomfort in your mouth and jaw, it’s best to come and see us and have a thorough examination. There’s no need to put up with pain.

Make your booking today!