shard.org.uk

Root canal treatment is necessary when the area of your tooth known as the pulp (the middle part which contains the nerves and blood supply) becomes infected. It is necessary because if left untreated, the infection is likely to spread to the surrounding tissues and cause an abscess, which can be very painful and cause nausea, fever and difficulty swallowing. If your pulp is infected, you may notice a darkening of the tooth’s colour, pain, swelling or tenderness in your gums and persistent toothache. Your dentist will be able to tell you on examination whether or not you need treatment.

What does the Treatment Involve?

Root canal treatment is often seen as one of the biggest and most daunting dental jobs, because it is a complicated and time-consuming procedure. However, the only alternative is extraction, which is rarely preferable given the importance of keeping your natural teeth. The treatment can be performed by any Kent dentist, and will involve two or more trips. Both stages of the procedure are performed under local anaesthetic, so it should be no more painful than having a normal filling.

On your first visit, the dentist will drill a hole in the infected tooth to access the pulp. The infection is cleaned out using specialist tools. X-rays will be taken at the start of the procedure to assess how deep your canals are, and more x-rays will be taken during the procedure to check that the roots have been cleaned through their entire depth. At the end of this first stage, you will be fitted with a temporary filling.

On your second visit, the dentist will again drill into the tooth to gain access. After checking to see that all the infection has been successfully removed, the canals will be filled in with a type of rubber called gutta percha. When this is done you will be given a permanent filling.