'You are going to need a root canal treatment', these are the words no one wants to hear when sitting in the dental chair. However, misinformation has given this treatment a bad name, it is actually a relatively straightforward procedure to treat dental pain and prevent the loss of a tooth.
Sadly, there is a perceived notion that root canal treatments are excruciatingly painful, this is simply not true, in fact, a root canal treatment will actually relieve acute dental pain. Modern-day advances in treatment procedures have made them a virtually pain-free experience, no worse than a simple filling.
Root canal treatments, also known as endodontics, are usually required when a tooth has become infected or inflamed. This specialised procedure is used to carefully remove the infected nerve from inside the tooth, the root canals inside the tooth will then be cleaned and disinfected with a filling being placed into the space created to seal up the area.
Carrying out a root canal is an excellent way to preserve a tooth which may otherwise need to be extracted, by undergoing this treatment you will keep the healthy structure of your tooth while stopping the spread of infection and restoring the tooth to it's natural look and feel.
In some cases, early symptoms can eventually disappear on their own if ignored for a length of time. Unfortunately, this does not equal good news, it does not mean the infection has healed on its own, rather, that the root of the tooth has been destroyed by the infection and you can no longer feel the symptoms. Eventually these symptoms will return and will usually be much more aggravated as the infection will have spread much further.
Paying a visit to your dentist when you experience any kind of tooth pain will help to diagnose issues early and prevent bigger problems from occurring, it will also prevent infection from developing into more serious stages and increase the likelihood of root canal treatment being a success. It is important also to remember that any antibiotics prescribed as part of your treatment plan are not enough to kill the infection on their own. Although symptoms may reduce after taking a course of antibiotics, a root canal treatment will still be required to preserve your tooth for the long-term.
Root canal treatment will save your natural tooth and allow it to remain functional for decades, if not a lifetime. However, just as no two people are the same, teeth also vary widely, so the success of a root canal treatment depends on many individual factors. Root canal treatment can fail for a number of different reasons, sometimes removing the old root filling and replacing it can solve the problem, whereas other times it may be more sensible to remove the problem tooth all together. For a tooth that has been root treated it will often be recommended to place a crown on the tooth to protect it from any future damage, this will help keep the tooth functional for years to come.
"I attended Belmore Dental Implant Clinic 2 weeks ago to start my root canal treatment. Annamaree was fantastic to me, really put me at ease as I'm a very nervous patient and I didn't feel any discomfort at all. Going back on Tuesday and I'm much more confident this time. Highly recommend this clinic!!"
Lorraine
