Root canals explained by our dentist in Chiswick
When most dental patients are told that they need to have a root canal performed, even these days, the majority will begin looking for a way to avoid this treatment, with many people opting for extraction instead!
This is somewhat unfair and our team at Strand on the Green Dental is always eager to save as many teeth as possible. If you have had a dental infection in recent times, one of the easiest ways to restore the tooth and keep your smile intact is to fit a root canal.
At Strand on the Green Dental Practice, we are exceedingly proud of our general dentist in Chiswick. We will always aim to keep your smile intact whenever we can and we will only turn to extraction as a last resort. We will explore every avenue of tooth restoration and preservation beforehand, which will usually involve the performing of a root canal.
In this article, our dentist in Chiswick will provide a brief guide to this procedure, so you can learn more about it and hopefully assuage any concerns that you have.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is also known as an endodontic procedure, which simply means below the tooth. Our dentist in Chiswick performs hundreds of root canals every year and the treatment itself is over 100 years old in dental care.
It involves our team drilling to the root of your tooth and removing any infected material, which may or may not have led to an oral abscess. After this, the canal is filled with gutta-percha and a filling or crown is placed on top, sealing the root canal in place and preserving the strength of the tooth.
Why would one need to be performed?
As mentioned before, many people need to have a root canal performed if they have recently suffered from a dental abscess. However, if you have recently had blunt force trauma to your face and one of your teeth has broken down to the root, our team may also need to fit you with a root canal to ensure that the area does not become infected and to preserve the tooth.
How long will it take?
There are many factors to consider when having a root canal performed, such as how many roots are infected, the position of the tooth and the extent of the damage caused by the infection. On average, a root canal for a single rooted tooth will take between 45 minutes to an hour, whereas root canals fitted to teeth with multiple roots may be spread over several appointments.
Will it need any specialised aftercare?
After you have had a root canal fitted, the area will likely feel slightly tender for a few days. This is normal and should be managed with over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you notice that the pain is worsening after you have had the root canal fitted, you will need to see our team to have the underlying area reassessed.
How to prevent needing a root canal
One of the easiest ways to prevent needing a root canal due to decay is to attend biannual visits with our team so we can spot signs of decay before they penetrate the tooth and reach the pulp. Of course, not all instances of root canals are caused by oral abscesses, this treatment may also be unavoidable if you have recently suffered from a trauma to your teeth.