Root Canal Treatment
Occasionally a nerve can become irritated or the tooth becomes infected which means the tooth needs a root canal treatment.A root canal treatment is essentially the process by which the dentist attempts to deal with the source of pain or infection by removing the nerve of the tooth and disinfecting the roots. Following this a filling is placed in the roots in the place of the nerve.
Our aim at Forest Road Dental Practice is to get you out of pain as quickly as possible.
Sometimes when a toothache is quite acute and serious, the dentist will attempt to deal with your pain at your first appointment and then plan a longer appointment to carry out the root canal treatment once the nerve has ‘switched off’ thereby making the treatment more comfortable for you.
Every root canal treatment is unique from person to person and occasionally the treatment can be deemed quite complex due to the unique nature of the tooth’s anatomy. In situations such as this, the dentist will discuss the option of a referral to an Endodontic specialist to carry out the treatment to the highest standard to ensure the best possible outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Extracting a tooth is almost always the easier option however, by trying to save your natural teeth, it preserves what nature gave us so we can carry on chewing, talking and smiling with confidence.
The process of a root canal treatment is to treat an infected or very painful tooth by removing the source of the pain/infection deep within the tooth where the nerve lives. A ‘normal’ filling involves cleaning and disinfecting the top of the tooth where you chew rather than deeper into the roots of the tooth.
The dentist will ensure you are sufficiently numb and check this before starting the treatment so you are not in any pain. Sometimes, heavily infected teeth can take a little longer to numb up and may require more anaesthesia. Remember, if you’re ever uncomfortable all you need to do is raise your hand to alert the dentist.
