General Treatments » Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy is one of the most common dental procedures carried out at our practice. Also known as endodontics, root canal therapy is necessary to save a tooth when it has become infected, through tooth decay or through injury.
Many patients are nervous about root canal therapy, perhaps having had a bad experience in the past or heard a horror story from someone else. However, the treatment is nothing to be frightened of and is an important procedure to save a tooth that could otherwise be lost.
Because we use thoroughly modern dental techniques and equipment, we offer root canal therapy that is painless and can be completed in one appointment. Failing to seek treatment can ironically lead to more serious conditions, such as a dental abscess if the infection spreads, which causes much more discomfort that any treatment.
If we find you need root canal therapy we will book you in for an appointment of 1.5 hours to ensure we can carry out all of your treatment in one session, which is best practice. Under local anaesthetic your dentist will access the root canal system and will thoroughly clean it using the latest rotary ended equipment. The tooth will then be filled with tooth-coloured filling material, using the Thermafill system.
After root canal treatment, many teeth, particularly the back teeth, will need a crown attached afterwards. This will protect the tooth and give it added strength, as teeth that have undergone root canal treatment can be weakened without this type of aftercare. We are a metal-free practice and will provide you with a strong, ceramic, tooth-coloured crown if necessary.
Root canal therapy is a skilled and time-consuming treatment, but is important to save your tooth and prevent painful problems such as abscesses developing. Our dentist Dr Paul Cunningham is highly experienced in providing root canal treatment and enjoys the procedure, as patients are often surprised that the treatment is pain-free, and are always delighted to save their tooth.
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