Root canal therapy is a great treatment, allowing our dentist to save and preserve badly infected teeth. Without it, tooth extraction would be the only option which is something we always try very hard to avoid.
Why might I need root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment might be necessary if you have a cracked or damaged tooth, or a badly decayed tooth that has allowed infection-causing bacteria in your mouth to get deep inside the tooth. This may also happen if you have an older filling or another dental restoration that has begun to leak or crumble. When bacteria gets into a tooth, they can reach the tooth nerve, causing infection and pain. Another possibility is where the tooth nerve has become inflamed, perhaps because of a blow to the tooth. The nerve is situated in the tooth pulp, right in the centre and when infected or inflamed, will need to be removed.
What to expect during root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment shouldn’t feel any worse than having a filling and will relieve the pain and discomfort of a badly infected tooth. Our dentist will carefully remove the infected nerve before disinfecting and sealing your tooth. It will need to be permanently restored at a later date, usually with a crown.
