Root canal therapy

Root canal therapy involves the careful removal of the infected, inflamed or dead nerve in a tooth. The process involves:

• Thorough testing and imaging to get to an accurate diagnosis
• Good anaesthesia prior to starting the procedure and accessing the pulp where the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth lie
• Adequate isolation of the tooth using rubber dam
• Removal of the diseased pulp where the nerves and blood vessels lie in the tooth
• Cleaning and shaping the area where the nerve used to be and placing antibiotics to aid the healing process
• Filling the area where the nerve used to be in order to seal it off and prevent bacteria from re-entering
• Restoration of the tooth where the nerves were accessed

Most times when the disease process is extensive enough to affect the pulp of the tooth, the only viable treatment options are root canal therapy or removal of the tooth. Working closely with your dentist to discuss your options will also mean that our very experienced dentists may be able to discuss the factors that may affect success of one treatment option over the other and recommend one procedure more. In some situations, the decision may be made to observe and monitor the tooth as well but if a tooth is left untreated for a long time with active disease it may result in more complex symptoms such as increased pain or sensitivity, an abscess or a facial swelling.