Endodontic Treatment, or Root Canal Treatment is a dental procedure used to treat infection at the centre of a tooth (the root canal system). The infection is caused by bacteria that live in the mouth and invade the tooth. This can happen after: tooth decay, leaky fillings, damage to teeth as a result of trauma such as a fall, and can become painful quite unexpectedly!
Endodontic Treatment, or Root Canal Treatments are carried out in surgery usually in 2 appointments. Sometimes though we are able to make a longer appointment for you and complete in just the one visit.
If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess. During root canal or endodontic treatment, the inflamed or infected inner portion of the tooth (pulp) is removed and the inside of the tooth and root is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then filled and sealed with a rubber-like material called gutta- percha. Then the crown of the tooth – the part you can see – is refilled with a white filling to make it look as near to your original tooth as possible. Often, the dentist will recommend that you have a crown placed over the top of the tooth to protect what’s left of the tooth and root canal filling.
There are a lot of myths surrounding root fillings, patients being terrified of having this done because they have been told it’s painful. In truth, most patients after having the treatment say it’s just the same as having a normal filling, just a longer appointment! We can also re-root treat teeth that have maybe had an unsuccessful treatment in the past. It can take a lot of patience for a dentist to complete a root filling successfully, and quite a bit of time if the roots are bent or hooked, but very rewarding when they see the x-ray and it’s perfect!
We are proud to welcome a visiting dental practitioner who has completed a masters degree in endodontics, which allows us to take on the most challenging of cases and enjoy a higher than normal success rate!