Root Canal Treatment
Small improvements in the appearance of our teeth can make a significant difference to our confidence.
Video: Root Canal Explained
Why do I need root canal treatment?
When the pulp or nerve tissue within a tooth starts to die or has become necrotic, this results in an infection developing surrounding the tip of the root of the tooth. A dying or dead nerve within a tooth is often accompanied by pain which can range from mild to severe. We carry out a number of tests that help us determine the state of the nerve tissue within the tooth and help determine what treatment is required.
Root canal treatment removes and cleans the irreversibly inflamed or necrotic tissue from within the tooth and bacteria that has invaded the root canal space within the tooth. This allows your bodies natural immune defence system to deal with the area of infection surrounding the root and remove bacteria from this space.
What does root canal treatment involve?
Root canal treatment involves gaining access into the root canal space within the tooth to clean it out thoroughly and remove any necrotic tissue and bacteria.
We carry out all root canal treatment under rubber dam isolation. This protects the tooth from further bacterial contamination once the tooth has been cleaned. It also serves to protect you from swallowing or inhaling the small instruments often used in root canal treatment.
During the initial part of root canal treatment, we routinely remove all pre-existing old filling materials from the tooth. This helps us ensure that there is no leakage or hidden areas of decay beneath the old filling material. It also allows us to assess the underlying tooth structure under magnification for any cracks that are common particularly with old silver fillings and can compromise the final outcome of treatment.
With the help of an electronic apex locator, we determine the full length of each root canal in the tooth. Following this, the canals are prepared with a combination of hand and rotary files and cleaned by irrigating the root canal system. This process removes infected tissue from within the root canal space.
An antibacterial dressing is then placed in the root canals followed by a temporary filling to seal the tooth. At a subsequent appointment, the root canal space is filled with a root canal filling material called gutta percha. The tooth is then filled. Often a crown or other cuspal coverage restoration will be required to protect the tooth long term.