Treatment for Tooth Nerves that have died and become Infected, or Inflamed and Painful
The Basics: Root Canal
Think of your tooth like a house. The roots are the foundation buried deep in the ground to keep it steady. Inside the walls of that house are narrow pipes (the canals); if those pipes get contaminated, it can cause problems for the entire structure.
Root Canal treatment, also known as Endodontics, is a way to save a tooth by treating it from the inside. This procedure becomes necessary when the internal pulp or nerve becomes damaged. This can happen for several reasons: the nerve may have died due to deep decay, or it could be severely inflamed and painful. Other common causes include trauma to the mouth, general ‘wear and tear‘ over time, or old fillings that have loosened and allowed bacteria to leak inside.
Root Canal treatment is designed to eliminate infection and protect the tooth from future issues. You can feel confident in our ability to perform this treatment because we have dentists who have undergone advanced training in endodontics and utilise the latest dental technology, including high-powered magnification.
Symptoms of a Root Canal Issue:
Root Canal symptoms may present as one single issue or be made up of a few and these can include:
- Gum Sensitivity/Tenderness
- Gum Swelling
- Pain in the tooth
- Sensitivity to hot and cold
- Pressure when biting or chewing
- A bad taste or smell in your mouth
- Discolouration of the tooth
Why Have Root Canal Treatment?:
As with all of our Dental treatment and care, we will need conduct a complete examination of your mouth including taking X-rays of the affected tooth and area. This enables the dentist to see exactly what’s happening beneath the surface, showing us the shape of your tooth’s roots and how far the infection has spread.
The goal of treatment is to remove any damaged or infected tissue from the nerve canals and seal the space to prevent bacteria from returning. We begin by accessing the nerve chamber to thoroughly disinfect and fill the root channels. Every tooth has a unique history and anatomy, so we use pre-treatment X-rays to carefully map out the number and shape of your roots, ensuring the most accurate and effective care.
Don’t let the reputation of a root canal worry you. With today’s advanced dental care, the process is straightforward and comfortable. Our team is committed to providing a positive experience, focusing on your comfort every step of the way to ensure your tooth is restored to full health.
What’s Involved?:
For your comfort, the procedure is performed under local anesthetic much like a standard filling, ensuring the area is completely numb. To maintain a clean and sterile environment, we place a soft protective sheet (called a rubber dam) over the tooth. This prevents any water or debris from entering your mouth and keeps the tooth isolated during disinfection. Depending on the complexity, treatment is usually completed in one or two visits, after which the tooth is sealed with a durable filling.
During the procedure the dentist will remove the crown of the tooth (essentially the top of the tooth), carefully taking out the ‘pulp‘ which fills the tooth cavity. This will remove most of the infection and gives access to the root canal, or canals.
The next step is the most intricate part of the process and might take more than one visit. We use tiny, flexible tools to slightly widen the root canals so they can be properly disinfected and filled. If we need to see you again to finish the work, we will place a temporary filling in the tooth to keep everything clean and protected in the meantime.
FAQ’s
Is Root Canal treatment effective? – Yes! Root canal treatment is a successful, long-term solution. In the hands of a highly trained dentist, the infection is removed and the tooth is restored, enabling it to stay firmly in place for years to come. It is the most effective way to preserve your natural tooth after a deep infection.
Could you remove the tooth as an alternative? – Our aim is to help you keep your natural teeth for a lifetime. While extraction is an alternative, a real tooth is always superior to an artificial replacement. A key principle of modern dentistry suggests that saving a tooth through a root canal is almost always preferable to removing it, unless the damage is too severe to repair.
Is there a set number of appointments for Root Canal treatment? – The number of appointments required for a root canal isn’t fixed. Your dentist will determine the schedule based on several factors, including the specific tooth being treated and the complexity of the infection. Generally, you can expect the process to take between one and three visits.
Aftercare
Our patients receive ongoing support and evidence-based advice throughout their entire course of treatment. We prioritise long-term success by monitoring treated teeth during regular examinations; if an infection ever recurs, we can perform a retreat to save the tooth.
Although the loss of the nerve does not affect daily function, root-filled back teeth are more susceptible to cracking. This is because these teeth are often already compromised by large fillings, placing a crown is usually recommended to reinforce the structure and prevent fractures.
