ROOT CANAL TREATMENTS
Your teeth are very precious; once you have grown your adult set, they are the last set you will ever have. It is therefore very important to keep them by any means possible. If any of your teeth has undergone significant damage, root canal treatment is the only way to save them!
Root canal treatment is conducted to salvage a tooth that has been badly damaged. The root canal is the central cavity in the tooth, which contains a pulp. This soft area contains the nerve of the tooth, and if this becomes badly infected or harmed, root canal treatment is normally the only procedure to save the tooth. Root canal procedure involves removing the infected pulp and filling the tooth in with a dental sealant.
Treating the affected area in this way not only saves the tooth from extraction, it also prevents the infection from spreading into other parts of the tooth, other teeth or to wide oral tissues. Root canal treatment is one of the best options available in this situation as leaving the tooth and/or losing it can cause a number of wider dental issues, including nerve problems in the mouth.
“Root canal treatment is an incredible procedure that may be the only treatment which can save you from losing a tooth!”
Our Approach
In your initial appointment, we will have identified the need to perform root canal treatment. Following this appointment, we will usually have administered some antibiotics to limit the infection and reduce any further discomfort. If there is an abscess in the tooth this will be drained before the root canal treatment can take place. Additionally, we will discuss the full extent of the treatment to make sure you are comfortable to proceed.
Root canal treatment begins by using a rubber dam which is used to extract any saliva from the area which needs to be treated. A local anaesthetic will then be used in several points around the affected tooth to numb the area, so you will not feel pain during the treatment. We will then proceed to create a hole in the tooth, down to the infected pulp, which we will remove. Once the infected pulp is removed, we will fill the hole with a permanent or temporary filling (this will depend on your specific circumstance) which will then seal the hole.
Benefits of Root Canal Treatments
Root canal treatment is a vital procedure which can be the only way to save a tooth that has been badly damaged by pulp infection. It is an extremely high success, and almost every tooth that undergoes this treatment will last a lifetime. This kind of procedure is usually the cheaper option, as extracting the tooth can be lengthily and require follow-up procedures to fit a replacement tooth. Root canal treatment also enables you to maintain the appearance, form and function of your tooth.
If you’re experiencing pain and believe you may need root canal treatment, you should book an appointment immediately! Alternatively, get in touch with our team, and they can help to arrange an emergency appointment!