We love performing root canal treatment, as it’s the process whereby a tooth is saved from extraction, which is always our top priority.
You might require root canal treatment if the tissues at the centre of a tooth have become infected due to a build-up of bacteria or because of an injury. Remember, an infected tooth won’t always cause you to develop any symptoms you can spot yourself at home, making regular dentist and hygienist appointments a must.
Your tooth will be isolated using a rubber dam, which stops saliva and bacteria from inside your mouth, from getting into your tooth and causing further infection. Once the root canals have been cleaned and disinfected, they can be sealed off and are therefore protected against the threat of further infection.
Problems including fractures, decay, gum disease, loose, leaking fillings and injury can all lead to an infected or damaged tooth nerve. Failing to have such problems treated can allow the infection to affect the tip of the root and the bone surrounding it, creating a painful abscess that causes unpleasant symptoms including fever and physical pain at the abscess site.
There was a time when root canal treatment had a bad name. The truth is that today, it won’t cause you any serious discomfort as your tooth and the surrounding tissues will be numbed with an anaesthetic. Post-treatment, you might experience some discomfort, but this shouldn’t require any painkillers other than those you can purchase over-the-counter (OTC). If you’re worried about any symptoms, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
In the majority of cases, a root canal can be carried out in a single visit. There are certain cases where a second or third appointment may be necessary, such as with teeth having multiple canals to treat.
As well as addressing the infection at the heart of your tooth, a root canal can reverse unpleasant symptoms like a bad taste in the mouth, pain, sensitivity and unsightly aesthetic changes as a result of infection and damage.
In more than 90% of cases, patients will receive a successful root canal treatment over a 10 year period. Should you fall into the 10% of cases that are not successful, we can look at repeating the treatment or removing and replacing the tooth for you, see implant page.
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