Root Canal Treatment

Treatment for tooth nerves that have died and become infected, or inflamed and painful

Root Canal Treatment or Endodontics involves working inside the root of the tooth. It is carried out because the nerve in a tooth has died and become infected, or inflamed and painful. This can happen due to trauma, decay or just general ‘wear and tear’.

Having completed further training in the field of Endodontics, and access to the the most up to date equipment with personal magnification available, you can relax knowing that the procedure will be carried out by safe hands.

Why have root canal treatment?

The aim of the treatment is to remove dead or inflamed tissue from the nerve canals and to fill this space so bacteria can not get back in. The nerve chamber of the tooth is opened and the channels in the roots disinfected and filled. The difficulty of doing this varies considerably depending on the tooth involved and its past history. An x-ray picture is taken before treatment starts to assess the number and shapes of the roots.

What’s involved?

Treatment is usually carried out under local anaesthetic (as for a normal filling) and should not be uncomfortable. As small instruments and disinfectants are used, a protective sheet of rubber is placed over the tooth for protection. This means no debris or water collects in the mouth. There are usually one or two appointments involved, depending on the particular situation. Following the filling of the root canals, the tooth is sealed with normal filling material.

Aftercare

The lack of a nerve in the tooth has little effect on its chewing ability as the main function of the nerve is during tooth formation and growth. However, root filled back teeth are more prone to cracking, because they are usually already heavily filled. Therefore it is usually recommended that a crown is placed on the tooth to protect it from fracture.