Root Canal Treatment in Annandale
Root canal treatment is used for removing infection and protecting the tooth from further decay. At Booth Tooth Dental, we may resort to root canal treatment when the decay is extensive. Often, this is the only way left to save the tooth – which is preferrable to having your tooth removed.
Root canal treatment does not enjoy a reputation as a desirable dental treatment and some patients are quite apprehensive about it. But with us, there is no need to worry. At Booth Tooth Dental, you are in safe hands. Our dental staff go out of their way to make you feel calm and comfortable throughout the procedure, and we can offer dental sedation if need be.
When do you need Root Canal Therapy?
You may need to do a root canal therapy
- If you have a cracked tooth or a cavity that may attract bacterial infection
- If your tooth pulp (nerve) has become infected and diseased
- If you have swelling in your neck and cheeks
- If your teeth have changed colour to a darker shade
- If you have increased sensitivity to hot or cold food
- If you feel increased soreness in your gums
- If you have severe tooth pain in a decayed tooth
How is Root Canal Treatment done?
From the above signs and symptoms, you may have noticed that these dental issues listed above are more serious than other dental problems. This is because the pulp (nerve) is filled with a lot of nerve endings and blood vessels. When infected, it can be very painful.
The pain and discomfort associated with a severely decayed tooth will last only till you receive treatment. The therapy gets rid of the pain because the infection is stopped at the root.
The first step is to take an X-ray of the problem tooth. This helps us know the extent of the problem and plan an effective treatment.
Before the treatment begins, the tooth is numbed with anaesthesia. You will hardly feel a thing. A rubber sheet is placed to isolate the tooth for the procedure.
A tiny hole is made into the tooth to gain access to the pulp (nerve) area which is the core of the tooth. Through this access hole, the infected pulp is removed. We make sure there are no remnants in the core of the tooth and it is washed clean. Then the tooth is sealed with rubber sealants and sealer paste which is applied to cover the whole inner core of the tooth. The tooth is now secure.
Because your tooth was damaged, it now requires more support. This support is provided by placing a dental crown. Crowns will help to prevent further damage. More details on dental crowns are here.
What to expect after treatment
After dental surgery has been done, you may experience soreness, slight pain and discomfort. This will go away in a few days. To help alleviate the pain, our dentists may give you pain medication.
The durability of root canal therapy is usually long lasting unless you encounter any major trauma to the mouth region. If you have doubts about the food to consume right after the treatment, your dentist will let you know foods you can consume (typically softer foods).
Why keep the tooth? Why not extract it?
While extraction is an option, keeping teeth is very important. Let’s be honest – people survive with missing teeth all the time. But the quality of their mouth is never the same! Teeth are like books on a shelf. If you lose one, the other ones collapse over. Collapsed teeth are harder to maintain as they trap more food and bacteria. This leads to more gum disease and cavities! Also, teeth get a lot of force. If you lose some teeth, the remaining teeth get more force and wear away and break more. Not sure what to do? Talk to your friendly Booth Tooth Dentist to help make your decision.
Get in touch with us today
Do you have a severely infected tooth that is giving you trouble? Please don’t delay getting in touch as you may need root canal therapy.
Book an appointment with us today by filling the form online. You can also reach us via phone or email. Our office staff are friendly and patient. They will answer all your queries and set up an appointment.
Book your appointment with Booth Tooth Dental today.