Root Canal Therapy
When a tooth is decayed, bacteria in the mouth can easily enter the tooth, eventually reaching the nerve, causing infection and pain. Root canal therapy is a treatment that can save severely infected teeth from extraction and relieve toothache. This treatment quickly helps you to feel more comfortable and allows us to restore the tooth fully. A tooth that has received root canal therapy can last for many years.
When to Come and See Us Root Canal Therapy?
An infected tooth may feel painful when you bite down, or the pain may be continual. You may develop a nasty taste or persistent bad breath. An infected tooth can discolour, while the gum around it may become swollen and red.If you have a painful tooth, please make an appointment to come and see us as soon as possible. There is a better chance we can save it from extraction when we can treat it earlier and relieve discomfort and pain.
What to Expect If You Need Root Canal Therapy?
We will gently examine your mouth if you have a painful tooth. We also take digital dental x-rays showing the extent of the infection inside the tooth, extending into your tooth roots called root canals. These x-rays also allow us to plan your treatment more accurately.There is no need to worry that treatment will feel painful, as we thoroughly numb the tooth first, and the procedure shouldn’t feel any worse than an ordinary filling. Our dentist will carefully access the tooth nerve right in the centre of the tooth in the pulp chamber. The pulp chamber contains the nerve, blood vessels and connective tissues, extending into the root canals inside the tooth roots. Special tools are used to remove all the infected tissue and to clean out the root canals thoroughly. Once complete, we thoroughly disinfect the tooth; if the infection is severe, we may place topical antibiotics.When we are sure the infection is eliminated, the tooth is permanently sealed and fully restored with a dental crown. The crown protects the tooth underneath, restoring the strength and appearance of your tooth and ensuring you can eat comfortably.
