Root canal treatment is needed when the inside of the tooth becomes infected through decay, a deep filling or injury to the tooth

Symptoms can include pain, increased sensitivity to temperature, gum tenderness or swelling. You however may not feel any pain in the early stages of the infection. Sometimes you may notice your tooth darkening in colour, which often means that the nerve of the tooth has died or is dying.

Why is Root Canal Treatment needed?

If the tooth becomes infected, the infection may spread through the root canals, leading to an abscess. An abscess is an inflamed area, containing pus which can lead to swelling of the tissue around the tooth. The symptoms of an abscess range from a dull ache to severe pain and the tooth is often tender to bite on. If root canal treatment is not carried out, the infection can spread and the tooth may need to be removed.

Benefits of Root Canal Treatment

Relieves painful toothache
Removes a source of infection that could spread to other areas
Usually saves an infected tooth from extraction
Prevents further problems that could be caused by losing a tooth, like preventing other teeth moving and tilting into the unsightly gap
Though the procedure is more expensive than having an extraction, in the long run it is less expensive than replacing the extracted missing tooth with an implant, bridge or denture.

What does it involve?

Root canal therapy usually requires several appointments, the number depending on which type of tooth is being treated. Between appointments, the tooth will be temporarily covered over.

An x-ray is taken to check the shape and length of the root canals and to see if there are any other signs of infection in the surrounding bone.
A rubber sheet is placed over the tooth to keep it dry. The infected tissue is removed under a local anaesthetic.
The canals are then shaped with fine specialised instruments and flushed out with an anti-bacterial solution to remove any debris.
Once fully cleaned, the root canals are then filled with a rubber material to seal the tooth and prevent bacteria from re-entering.
A root filled tooth is ‘dead’ and more brittle than a healthy tooth, so will usually require a crown or onlay to give it additional strength.

Contrary to popular belief, root canal treatment is not painful and once a local anaesthetic has been used, the procedure feels no different to having a normal filling.

Aftercare

You can treat the tooth as you would any of your teeth, by brushing and flossing. If you do experience pain following a root canal procedure, please contact the practice on 01633 877618. Root canal treatment is usually extremely successful, however, if the infection does come back, the treatment can be repeated, or a surgical procedure (apicectomy) done. In the majority of cases if looked after properly, your root canal treated tooth should stay trouble-free and provide a long lasting repair.

Why does Root Canal Treatment cost more than an extraction?

Carrying out a root canal treatment takes more time than removing a tooth, also all the fine instruments used for the procedure are expensive and are single use only. At Cwmbran Dental Care we use the best materials and equipment, along with keeping our training up to date which ensures we are using the latest techniques.

We would always prefer to try and save your tooth rather than remove it, as the benefits are definately worth it.

Root Canal Treatment