Root canal treatment (endodontics) treats disorders of the nerve (also called pulp) of the tooth. It used to be that a tooth with a diseased or infected nerve had to be removed. In 95 percent of the cases today, however, this is no longer true. We believe in saving teeth (instead of removing them). We make every effort to help you keep your natural teeth for a lifetime!

WHY A ROOT CANAL WOULD BE NECESSARY

There are 3 main reasons you might need a root canal:

• ›  Trauma, like a physical blow to a tooth or a constant striking of a tooth in the opposite jaw that traumatizes the tooth
• ›  Physical irritation caused by deep decay or a very large filling
• ›  Severe gum disease

WHAT HAPPENS DURING A ROOT CANAL

We'll schedule a series of appointments for you if x-rays and a clinical examination confirm you need a root canal treatment. You must keep these appointments to prevent delays in treatment and healing. You must also take all antibiotics and medications prescribed to improve healing and reduce swelling at the site of infection.

The root canal treatment looks like this:

• ›  First, we'll relieve any discomfort you might be experiencing and ensure your comfort throughout the treatment. When necessary, we use an anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding area. The tooth may be isolated with a rubber dam, which confines the treatment area and protects the mouth from bacteria and chemical agents. We make an opening through the crown of the tooth into the pulp.
• ›  We carefully remove the diseased pulp. The root canal area inside your teeth is cleaned, enlarged and shaped. Then, depending on your individual case, the root canal and pulp chamber may be permanently filled and sealed. In some cases, we place a temporary medication in the tooth to control bacterial growth and reduce infection.
• ›  A temporary filling may be placed in between appointments. We'll decide what's right for your case and do whatever is necessary to make sure you're comfortable.
• ›  At the next appointment, we disinfect the inside of the tooth to remove the bacteria. Throughout the root canal procedure, we take x-rays to ensure that all of the infected pulp is removed and that the walls inside the canal are smooth.
• ›  To complete the process, we permanently fill and seal the root canal and pulp chamber.
• ›  Finally, we fully restore your tooth to chewing function.

WHAT CARE COMES AFTER A ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

Once the root canal treatment has been completed, you should consider the following:

• ›  Brittleness - We recommend that your root canal tooth be crowned (capped) following treatment. This is because a non-vital (endodontically treated) tooth is more brittle than a vital one and is more susceptible to fracture.
• ›  Discoloration - You may be interested in having the tooth whitened after your root canal. Be sure to ask us about tooth whitening if we do not decide to place a crown on the tooth.

Contact us at Croydon Dental if you think you might need a root canal, and find out how we make the treatment as pain-free as possible.