A root canal procedure is carried out on infected or decayed teeth to prevent the infection causing bacteria from spreading to the surrounding tissues. Root Canal treatment is the procedure of removing the pulp (living part of the tooth that consists of nerves and blood vessels) from the tooth, cleaning the tooth internally, and finally sealing the space. At XL Smiles Dental Clinic, you can rely on caring and competent doctors who use the most advanced technology to avoid pain and provide a stress-free root canal treatment.
How do I know I need a Root Canal Treatment
You might need a Root Canal treatment if you suffer from any of the following symptoms:
- A severe toothache during chewing food
- Prolonged pain in teeth when exposed to heat/cold
- Darkened or discolored teeth
- Swelling in the gums
- Pus is oozing from the affected tooth
- Swelling on the face and neck
- Fractured tooth
If left untreated, the bacteria can spread through the roots of the tooth to other tissues (surrounding bone and soft tissues) and cause abscesses. Infections that go untreated without a root canal procedure can lead to deep decay which in turn leads to a broken tooth and invites additional dental procedures.
The Treatment Procedure at XL Smiles Dental Clinic
A root canal treatment starts by taking an X-ray to study the root canals, the infection, and the extent to which it has spread. The dentist performing the root canal procedure will then give local anesthesia to numb the surrounding area. After this, an access hole is drilled into the tooth, and the tooth pulp, the bacteria, the decayed nerve tissues and other remaining detritus are removed from the tooth. The tooth is intermittently flushed with sodium hypochlorite or saline. The removal of unwanted materials from within the tooth is the core part of a root canal treatment. Once this is done, the cleaned and dried canals are filled with an inert dental material such as “gutta percha” and then the tooth is sealed with a filling material which is eventually covered by a metal or a ceramic crown. At XL Smiles dental clinic, root canal treatment is mostly done in a single sitting baring a few cases where there is a long standing chronic infection and a lot of surrounding bone has been lost. In such cases, calcium hydroxide paste is placed in the cleaned root canals which it is left in the tooth for a period of 7-10 days. After 7-10 days, this calcium hydroxide dressing is removed and replaced by a permanent gutta percha filling and a crown.
For a pain-free and comfortable root canal treatment, call 0265 237 1721.
Reasons to Undergo a Root Canal Treatment
- To save a natural tooth that is infected or broken
- When a nerve dies due to a tooth injury and is likely to infect the tooth
- When the pulp becomes inflamed
- As a preventive measure when having crowns prepared, when a crown encroaches an underlying nerve
- Decay is spreading and has reached the tissues inside the tooth
- Abscess has developed at the root of the teeth