Root Canal Treatment or Endodontics involves removing the inside of the root of the tooth (Pulp or root canals). It is normally carried out because the nerve in a tooth has died and become infected. It can also be necessary to have root treatment because the tooth has become inflamed and painful. This often is because of trauma, decay, a filling irritating the pulp or just general ‘wear and tear’.
With root canal treatment we remove all the dead or inflamed cells inside the root canals. We open the pulp chamber of the tooth and use special designed files and irrigation liquid to clean the root canals. Once we sure that the tooth is settled (this might be in one or more appointments) we seal the canals off so that bacteria can’t grow and re-infect the tooth. In order to treat your tooth properly, we will take xrays, before, during and after the treatment. We give your a local anaesthetic before we start and isolate the tooth with a rubber shield to provide a secure working area and prevent you swallowing any debris.
Once the tooth has been root treated it becomes more brittle and can easily fracture with normal eating and chewing, therefore, root canal treatment is generally followed by a crown in order to help to strengthen and restore it to a normal tooth.