Root Canal
A healthy tooth has three distinct layers. The first is a tough outer coating of tooth enamel, covering a softer layer of dentine. The dentine surrounds the dental pulp right in the centre of the tooth and contains the nerve and blood supply to the tooth.
If a tooth takes a severe blow or is damaged, the nerve in the dental pulp can become inflamed or infected, often causing a significant toothache. The tooth nerve can also become damaged if there are cracks in the tooth or if it is severely decayed, allowing bacteria to reach the tooth nerve.
Root canal therapy is a procedure that can save the tooth, preserving it so it can be restored. Before this procedure was developed, the only treatment was to remove the tooth.
How Can I Tell If I Need Root Canal Therapy?
The most common sign of an infected or inflamed tooth nerve is pain. Sometimes this pain can disappear if the nerve dies, but the infection cannot clear up without treatment. Other signs are noticing the gum around the affected tooth is red and swollen, and the tooth can be too painful for biting and chewing. You may also have a persistent nasty taste or bad breath.
If you recognise any of these symptoms, please make an appointment to come and see us urgently. The earlier we can diagnose and treat a tooth infection, the more likely treatment will be successful. Leaving a severely infected tooth can result in the infection worsening and eventually causing an abscess. At this stage, we may have no other option but to remove the tooth to allow the infection to drain.
A severe dental abscess can also cause swelling and extreme pain. In the worst case, it can cause a fever and chills, impacting your general health and requiring emergency dental care.
What to Expect When You Have Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is not painful and will eliminate that nasty toothache. We ensure the tooth is completely numb before removing all the damaged dental pulp and pulp tissues extending into the tooth roots, called root canals.
Once we remove all the infected tissue, we disinfect the tooth, which can then be sealed permanently. Usually, a tooth that has received root canal therapy will need fitting with a crown because it has most likely lost a lot of its original structure and removing the nerve makes the tooth brittle over time.
The crown will help to protect and preserve the tooth, hopefully for many years to come.