WHAT IS A ROOT CANAL TREATMENT?

At My Dental Group, your oral hygiene, your comfort and your experience are paramount to our success. It is our priority to make sure you have a comfortable and positive experience from the moment you step foot inside of our practice. We treat each and every one of our patients as an individual – there is no ‘run of the mill, standard procedures’ what works for one patient may not be the best course of action for another. A root canal treatment is one of the most common dental procedures performed. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need for dental implants or bridges.

This multistep procedure involves removal of the pulp (blood and nerve supply of the tooth) followed by cleaning the inside of the tooth and sealing it with a root canal filling material. It normally involves 2 to 3 visits to complete the procedure and is painless most of the time after local anaesthesia.

WHEN DO I NEED IT?

Root canal treated teeth are commonly weak and prone to breaking and therefore it is even more important to ensure treatment starts early. Your dentist may even recommend a crown or an onlay to prevent further tooth loss.Root canal treatment is undertaken to save a tooth when the pulp becomes infected due to trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks or repeated dental procedures. Tooth infection involving the pulp is usually very painful and can be associated with an abscess. Root canal treatment serves to relieve pain and resolve the infection.When a tooth is experiencing decay, the decay will begin in the crown of the tooth before it begins to spread. Without immediate treatment, the decay will advance deeper towards the nerve and blood supply of the tooth. Because of this, the area will then be open to bacteria, resulting in inflammation and pain.

Root-canal-Treatment

As the tooth is left further untreated, it begins to die out, becoming susceptible to infection caused by active bacteria. This is how dental abscesses occur, and in some cases, the patient may experience facial swelling. If these symptoms are further ignored, teeth discolouration will occur, with the infection then spreading to surrounding facial features. As you can see, it’s vital to address tooth decay before it makes its way deeper into the nerve. By initiating root canal treatment during these earlier stages, it allows us to prevent the infection spreading further.

We understand that visiting the dentist can make some patients anxious or uncomfortable, which is why we go above and beyond to ensure you have a stress-free experience that’s as painless as possible. We know a root canal can seem scary, but our friendly staff are here each step of the way. If you wish to feel as though you’re asleep for the entire procedure, we can administer IV sedation. Once the treatment has been completed, you will wake from your sleep-like state feeling as though no time has passed at all. We have a multitude of options available so don’t delay or allow further decay – call us today.