Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is a procedure performed when a tooth is significantly damaged and needs to be salvaged.

Infection can occur as a result of advanced decay or a severe crack in your tooth. The nerve found within the tissues in the centre of your tooth can die over time resulting in the symptoms described below. Moreover, your tooth may discolour/become dark over time as the nerve within it dies.

What is root canal therapy?

Root canal therapy is a very common treatment that helps to save a tooth by removing any infected tissue within your tooth and sealing it again. If your dental pulp (the tissues in your tooth) becomes infected, you might have symptoms such as severe pain, a persistent swelling, an intermittent lump or swelling. However, sometimes there are no symptoms at all, which is why general check-ups are so important, flagging up any issues you might not have spotted at home.

What is involved with treatment?

After providing adequate anaesthesia and ensuring the tooth has been rendered decay free, your dentist will use specific instruments to remove the infected tissue within the tooth and within the roots of the tooth. Once the infected tissue has been removed, the canals within the roots are filed and shaped after which they are filled. This helps to treat and prevent further infection. You will then have a filling or a crown to cover your tooth, restoring it to its full function.

Before embarking on root canal treatment, your dentist will fully assess your tooth clinically and using an x-ray. Occasionally, various factors indicate the treatment may be complex and a referral to a specialist (endodontics) may be advised. You can also choose to have this treatment carried out by a specialist even if there are no complexities identified.