A root canal is one of those dental procedures that everyone has heard of. But most people would have difficulty explaining exactly what root canal treatment is. At Glow Dental, we provide root canal treatment to dozens of patients every year, and the results can be genuinely life-changing. Here, we explain what is involved in a root canal and what a dentist can do for you.
What Is A Root Canal?
If you have pain or inflammation in the tooth and gums, it is commonly a result of an infection in the nerves inside the teeth. This can come about for a number of reasons, but typically it is due to decay or damage such as broken teeth or a crack in the tooth allowing infection to take hold. If the infection is left unchecked, it may kill the nerve, and ultimately the entire tooth. The process is long and painful.
A root canal treatment is a special kind of dental surgery that removes the infected pulp, cleans the tiny canals of blood vessels and prolongs the life of your tooth, at the same time relieving your pain and discomfort. It is very delicate work, and at Glow Dental, root canal treatment is performed with precision using specialised rotary instruments.
Who Needs Root Canal Treatment?
Clearly, root canal treatment is appropriate if you have an infected tooth. The most common indications of infection are toothache, tenderness and inflamed or bleeding gums. You, or those around you, might also notice an unpleasant odour on your breath. It is vitally important that you consult with your private dentist without delay if you have any of these symptoms, as time is of the essence in successful root canal treatment.
Having A Root Canal
The phrase “I’d sooner have a root canal” has entered common parlance as a way to describe some highly unpleasant experience, so it is understandable that you might feel apprehensive about the treatment. However, like all modern dental procedures, root canal work is painless, and the end result is well worth any short-term discomfort or inconvenience. The exact form of treatment will depend on your own unique circumstances. However, root canal work usually takes place over three visits.
In the first visit, the dentist will explain the whole process and work through any alternatives with you. If the infection is at an advanced stage, extracting the tooth might be a more practical option, but where viable, saving the tooth with root canal treatment will always be the preferable course of action. If the infection is causing you pain, the dentist will also be able to provide some relief in the form of a medicated dressing to give you immediate comfort. You should start to notice the positive effects after about 24 hours.
The second visit involves the root canal work itself. Your dentist will give you a local anaesthetic so that you don’t feel a thing while the procedure is underway. The canals will be widened and irrigated to clean them and to remove the infected pulp. You will not feel any pain, but it does take a while, so boredom can set in! The process is delicate and can take up to 90 minutes. Sometimes, it might need to be done across two visits. Once this stage is complete, the dentist will apply a temporary filling to protect the tooth.
The final consultation takes place about a week later when the treated tooth has had time to settle. The temporary filling will be removed, the tooth checked, and the canal sealed to give it permanent protection and to guard against the risk of reinfection.
Benefits Of Root Canal Treatment
We mentioned earlier that having a root canal treatment can change your life. That might sound over-effusive, but most people who need this type of treatment have been living with an infected tooth for some time. To finally be rid of the pain, sensitivity, inflammation and bad breath is an incredibly liberating experience. It is certainly well worth a few hours of boredom and mild discomfort in the dentist’s chair!
Root canal work also provides a second chance for an infected tooth. In years gone by, when infection set in, the only option was to have the tooth removed and then face the decision of what to do about the resulting gap. While extraction followed by the fitting of an implant or bridge is still an alternative, it is far better to save the tooth with root canal treatment if that is possible.
