Root canals explained by our dentist at Spa Dental Sydney

When you have recently suffered from a dental abscess, you may be less than enthralled to learn that the most common preventive treatment for this condition is to have a root canal fitted.

For many dental patients, this is something that they want to avoid and in many cases, they will usually opt for extraction instead, even though root canals have been performed in dental surgeries for over 100 years and have saved thousands of teeth in that time, as well as keeping people’s smiles looking good!

Our general dental team at Spa Dental Sydney is always happy to be able to offer general restorative dental care to our patients, which does include root canals. Our dentist Sydney has performed hundreds of root canals and can assure you that the process is not uncomfortable, not scary and may be one of the best things you can do to preserve your smile!

Our dentist Sydney also believes that the majority of people are worried about root canals simply because they do not know a lot about them. In this short guide, we will aim to provide insight into this common endodontic procedure.

What is a root canal?

According to our dentist Sydney, a root canal is simply like a very deep filling. When you have had a dental infection, the pulp of the tooth will be infected and the surrounding area is likely to be filled with pus, which causes pressure which then leads to discomfort. A root canal is designed to alleviate this infection by removing the pus and filling the tooth.

Having one fitted

Having a root canal fitted is a bit like having a filling. The area will be numbed beforehand and our team will drill down to the root of the tooth via the canal. Once there, we will use a set of special files to widen the canal and will then begin removing the infected debris from inside the tooth. This may or may not involve the pulp being removed. Once all of this has been completed, we will use a substance known as gutta-percha, which is like a rubbery putty to fill the canal to the top of the tooth. Once the tooth has been filled, we will top it with either a crown or filling and the treatment is complete.

Potential complications

There are very few complications that can occur with a properly fitted root canal. However, many people who are having root canals are found through X-rays to have complicated root systems which can make the process a bit more complicated for our team. If we find that you have multiple roots or twisted root systems, we will likely refer you to an experienced endodontist to have the treatment performed. There is also a very minor chance that the infection will recur, but this happens in a very small number of cases.

Longevity

Once in place, a root canal can easily last for the rest of your life provided that you maintain good oral hygiene with the tooth that it is fitted under. If you suspect that there is an issue with your root canal, please contact our team as soon as possible to prevent further complications.

Impact on cosmetic treatments

In the modern world of dentistry, many people want to have cosmetic treatments performed and luckily root canals have very little impact on all of them. You can have oral implants fitted, you can undertake orthodontic care and even have your teeth whitened with a root canal, provided that the last option is done at least 2 months after the root canal treatment to prevent the nerves from causing discomfort.

DISCLAIMER

All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.