Root Canal

Root canal treatment (endodontics) is required when there is an infection deep within your tooth. When a tooth becomes damaged or decays, it can lead to infection caused by bacteria. When this affects the soft dental pulp inside the tooth it will begin to die, causing a further increase in the bacteria. Eventually this is likely to lead to an abscess and swelling of the face. This can be very painful and a root canal procedure will prevent it reaching this stage. Root canal treatment is likely to save the tooth, eradicating the need for extraction which can have long term consequences for the shape of the jaw and face, your ability to eat and confidence to smile, if you don’t get the tooth replaced.

The symptoms of a pulp infection include:

As the infection progresses, these symptoms often disappear as the pulp dies. Your tooth then appears to have healed, but the infection has in fact spread through the root canal system.

Further symptoms eventually occur, such as:

The process

Prior to the treatment, an x-ray will be taken to ensure that there are no abscesses present. If any are found, antibiotics will be prescribed and the treatment postponed until they have healed.

Once it has been shown that there are no abscesses, a local anaesthetic is administered to the area and the top of the tooth is removed. This is usually done using a rotary endodontic file or a hand file whichever is deemed most appropriate by the Endodontist. The soft inner pulp is then removed, initially by suction, before any remaining infected pulp is removed manually using specialist tools. The cavity will then be cleaned with an antibiotic wash to remove any infection that may remain and the hollow tooth is then filled and a crown placed on the top of the tooth to strengthen it. In some cases it may be necessary for a post to be placed too in order for the crown to be attached securely and ensure that the tooth is strong.

We will make you comfortable throughout your treatment. A local anaesthetic will be used to ensure you don’t feel any pain or discomfort around the affected area during the procedure.

Caring for your post root canal tooth

The root canal procedure will leave the patient with a tooth that is natural but which contains no nerves or blood vessels within it. This means that the tooth itself is ‘dead’ and there is no sensation associated with it. This does not mean however that it does not need cleaning and you should ensure that you continue to brush and floss as usual, especially in order to prevent any possible gum disease that may occur in that area.

It is also advisable to avoid harder foods for a short while after the procedure until the tooth has had a chance to become stable. Provided that this advice is followed and care is taken, there is no reason why the tooth should not last for many years.

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