Root Canal Therapy at Donvale Dental Centre
Do you have a tooth with deep decay, severe pain or a chronic abscess? Infected and dying dental nerves can destroy your tooth from the inside, causing it to deteriorate and break apart. Fortunately, root canal treatment can preserve your tooth so that you can avoid an unnecessary extraction.
What is a Root Canal?
Endodontic therapy (root canal treatment) involves removing the infected nerve or remnants of nerve tissues from inside an infected tooth, through a small opening. This process eliminates the source of pain and helps prevent tooth loss.
Do I Need a Root Canal?
You may need a root canal if your tooth is
- Severely decayed
- Deeply cracked
- Hypersensitive
- Abscessed or infected
- Causing severe pain
During your exam, we’ll evaluate the extent of structural damage and likely take a small X-ray of the tooth. This image will show us the entire root portion of the affected teeth so that we can screen for abscesses or determine how deep the cavity is. In some cases we’ll also want to check for cracks or temperature sensitivity before making a decision.
The root canal treatment process typically takes 2-3 visits to complete. It feels about the same as it would to have a routine filling completed. First and foremost, we’ll numb the tooth with local anaesthetic to keep you as comfortable as possible.
Our dentist is highly skilled in root canal therapy and holds high standards for the most durable outcome. Each procedure is completed with our practitioner using dental loupes, which magnify the treatment area for exceptionally high attention to detail.
During the process, we will clean out the infected root canal openings that extend through the length of the tooth. Then we medicate and fill the canals to prevent further infection. The overall process takes about 1-2 weeks to complete.
After your root canal is complete, we recommend placing a crown over the tooth shortly thereafter. The crown will restore the function and look of your tooth, protecting the weaker structure underneath.
We’ll follow up with you a day or two after your initial treatment to ensure that any pain has subsided and that you’re not experiencing any problems.
Although a small amount of post-operative discomfort is normal, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory is typically all you need for a day or two.
We frequently hear questions like, ‘are there alternatives to endodontic treatment?’ Yes and no. Typically the only viable option to root canal therapy is to have the infected tooth extracted. Otherwise the pain and infection will persist, causing discomfort or additional damage to adjacent teeth.
The best solution to preserve your smile’s health is to have the nerve of the tooth removed and the pulp chamber sealed off, preserving your tooth and its place in your smile.
Gentle Root Canals
Have questions or need a second opinion about root canal Donvale treatment? Contact our office today to reserve a one-on-one visit with one of our experienced dentists.
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Any invasive or surgical procedure may carry risks. Before moving forward, it is recommended that you seek a second opinion from an appropriately licensed medical professional.
