Root Canal Therapy
Endodontics (Root Canal Treatment) is the treatment of infections or disease ‘inside the tooth’ designed to save diseased or injured teeth.
Importance of Root Canal Therapy
If your tooth pulp becomes infected, bacteria will begin to grow within the tooth. This growth results in pressure and causes pain as well as possible facial swelling.
Root Canal Therapy is necessary when the nerve of a tooth becomes diseased or infected. In such cases the nerve of the tooth must be removed. Previously if a tooth became infected it would have simply been extracted.
Today however, every possible step is taken to save your teeth.
Is it right for you?
Some typical symptoms of endodontic disease include tooth pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold, tenderness when chewing or to touch, and discolouration of the tooth. If you suffer any of these symptoms you may require endodontic treatment.
What does Root Canal Therapy actually mean?
Root Canal Therapy or endodontic treatment is a process whereby inflamed or dead pulp is removed from the inside of the tooth, enabling a tooth that was causing pain to be retained.
A fully developed tooth can function normally without a pulp if root canal treatment has been successful. After removing the pulp, the root canals are cleaned, sterilised and shaped to a form that can be completely sealed with a filling material to prevent further infection. The treatment can take several appointments, depending on how complex the tooth is, and how long the infection takes to clear.
Our goal at indental is to help you preserve your natural teeth for as long as possible.
What is involved?
If Root Canal Therapy is necessary, x-rays will be taken at your dental consultation after which a series of appointments would be assigned to you for your Root Canal Therapy. Time required for treatment will vary depending on the difficulty of your procedure.
Specialisation
Dr Andrew Boorer is qualified and experienced in performing Root Canal Therapy. However difficult cases, such as teeth with narrow or blocked canals or unusual anatomy, may be referred to a specialist Endodontist to ensure you get the highest quality of care.
Subsequently a crown or complex restoration to restore or protect the tooth may be a necessary recommendation, as a tooth after undergoing treatment may be more likely to fracture.
Why do I need Root Canal Treatment?
Inside your tooth is soft tissue containing nerves, and blood and lymph vessels, known as the tooth pulp. If the pulp cannot repair itself, it will initially become inflamed. If it is not treated, it will die and become infected. Root canal treatment is then needed to save the tooth. If you have a damaged tooth, root canal treatment may help to save it
A fracture in a tooth or a deep cavity commonly cause pulp death, as the pulp is exposed to bacteria found in your saliva.
When the pulp becomes infected, it is best to remove it before it spreads to the tooth and surrounding tissues. The whole tooth may be lost if the infection is left untreated.
To improve the chances of success, root canal treatment should start as soon as possible. All root canals in the affected tooth must be treated.
How does the pulp become infected?
Infection or inflammation of the pulp can be caused by:
• Repeated dental work to the tooth
• Breakdown of a filling or crown
• A deep cavity
• Extreme wear
• Gum disease
• Crack or chip in the tooth
• Trauma
How long will the restored teeth last?
If you look after your teeth and gums, your root canal treated tooth may last a long time. However, you must have regular checkups to ensure that the tissues around it are nourishing the root of your treated tooth.