Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal Treatment 

Inside a tooth is a fine space called the root canal. The canal contains the dental pulp with consists of nerves and blood vessels. If the dental pulp becomes diseased or dies a toothache or an abscess may occur. In the past, these problem teeth were extracted but now your dentist can offer you root canal treatment to care for these teeth. 
 

Healthy Tooth

Tooth with dental abscess

File in place to clean and shape root canal

Root canal treatment completed and tooth crowned

Why is root canal treatment necessary?

Root canal treatment is most often needed for the relief of pain. A number of conditions can lead to irreversible damage of the dental pulp.

  • Decay
  • Deep fillings
  • Trauma
  • Tooth fracture
  • Infection

Sometimes there is no apparent cause.

What happens during root canal treatment?

  • An examination with x-rays and special tests to assess the health of the dental pulp and surrounding tissues. Sometimes it is quite difficult to identify which tooth is the cause of pain.
  • Usually a latex sheet called a rubber dam is placed around the tooth to isolate it from the mouth.
  • Access to the root canals is gained by drilling a hole through the top of the tooth.
  • The root canal is measured for length and then cleaned and shaped with fine dental files. The root canals are also washed with sterilising solution.
  • The root canals are then sealed near to their tip with a permanent filling.
  • The tooth is then restored back into useful function.