Root Canal Treatment
Melbourne Smile Boutique
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment is a procedure that cleans a tooth’s irreparably damaged or infected nerve and replaces it with a filling. The nerve is a small, thread-like tissue in the centre of the tooth.
The damaged, diseased or dead pulp is removed, and the remaining space is cleaned, shaped and filled. This procedure permanently seals off the root canal. In the past, teeth with diseased or injured pulps were removed. Luckily today, root canal treatment saves many teeth that would otherwise be lost.
Common causes of pulp damage or death
- A fractured tooth
- Deep decay (a deep cavity)
- An injury to a tooth, such as a severe blow to the tooth, either recent or in the past.
Symptoms that you may experience indicating the need for a root canal
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Sensitivity to hot or cold drinks
- Aching or throbbing pain
- Swelling of the face or gums
- Loosening of a tooth
Root Canal Procedure
Generally, a root canal treatment can be done over 2-3 sessions with the placement of an antibacterial medicine inside the nerve space in between appointments to relieve pain and clear infection. From the patient’s perspective, the procedure won’t feel too much different than having a normal filling done. Root canals have a high success rate of about 90-95% over 10 years.
To ensure the longevity of the root canal we recommend having a crown placed on you root treated tooth. This is especially important on back teeth which are used for chewing and helps protects the tooth from breaking down ensuring your Root Canal isn’t performed in vain.