– Root canal treatment (also called Endodontics) is needed when the pulp inside your tooth becomes infected through tooth decay or damaged by an injury to your mouth. This infection may spread through the root canal system, which could eventually lead to an abscess , causing a great deal of discomfort. If root canal treatment is not carried out, the tooth may need to be taken out.

– Our dentists can perform root canal treatment to stop the infection from spreading and will preserve as much of your tooth as possible. Using specific techniques and advanced equiqment, you will receive a local anaesthetic and the treatment overall should feel no different to having an ordinary filling placed. The aim of the treatment is to remove all infection from the root canal. The root is then cleaned and filled to prevent any further infection. A temporary fillings is put in and the tooth is left to settle. The tooth is checked at a later visit and when all the infection has cleared, the tooth is permanently crowned. Since the nerve and blood supply to the tooth has been taken away, the tooth may become brittle over time, resulting in a cracked tooth. In order to prevent this, root canal treated teeth are routinely protected with a crown. Root canal treatment is a skilled and time-consuming procedure and most courses of treatment will involve two or more visits.

– To keep your mouth in tip-top shape we recommend you come in for regular hygiene appointments and dental check-ups.

Read more about Root Canal Therapy

Your natural tooth consists of 3 layers – the enamel, the dentine and the pulp. The most common cause of pulp death are:

Anatomy of a healthy tooth

The pulp consists of nerves and blood vessels and has an inherent ability to repair itself. When the pulp is diseased or injured and unable to repair itself, it undergoes a condition known as pulp death.

1. Extensive decay extending into the pulp chamber.

2. Deep cavities requiring large fillings.

3. Traumatic injuries to the tooth for example a fall.

4. Tracked tooth syndrome.

All these situations allow-bacteria and their products to enter the pulp. If the injured or disease pulp is not removed, the tissues surrounding the root of the tooth can become infected, resulting in pain and swelling. Bacteria toxins can damage the bone that anchors the tooth in the jaw. Without treatment, the tooth may have to be extracted.

Root canal treatments are quite common. In the United State alone, they save about 24 million teeth each year.

Periapical x ray of infected tooth

How is Root Canal therapy Performed?

Root canal therapy can be performed in single or multiple visits.

Steps in root canal therapytooth

1. Local anesthetic is administered to “numb” the tooth that is being worked on.

2. A dental X-ray of the tooth called a “periapical x-ray” is taken for the dentist to refer to during the procedure.

3. A rubber dam is placed to keep the tooth isolated from your saliva and very dry before the final steps are taken to complete the procedure. The rubber dam is also helpful in keeping chemical solutions used to disinfect the root canal from entering your mouth.

4. A small opening is made through the tooth into the area known as the pulp chamber. Tiny files are introduced which remove the nerve and any infected tissue from the root canals. The canals are the shaped and prepared to be filled.

5. Once the entire tooth has been cleaned out, the tooth is dried with tiny absorbent paper piont. Gutta percha a rubber material is then used to fill the root canals