Root canal therapy (or endodontics, to give it its scientific name) has a bad reputation. The thought can make even the bravest of patients feel nervous. However, root canal therapy is nothing to be afraid of when carried out by a skilled dentist. It is also essential to save your tooth. At The Park Dental Clinic in Derby, we practise preventative and conservative dentistry, and will always strive to save as much of your tooth as possible.
If your dentist tells you that you need root canal therapy, this is because the pulp or nerve at the centre of your tooth has become infected. This can happen because of tooth decay, or because your tooth is damaged due to accident or injury. Whatever the cause, root canal therapy is necessary to remove all traces of infection, and prevent the need for your tooth to be extracted.
All teeth contain root canals. In front teeth there is usually one root and one root canal, while in back teeth there may be several root canals. If you don’t take your dentist’s advice and have root canal therapy, the infection may spread through this root canal system, causing considerable discomfort and eventually leading to a painful swelling known as a dental abscess.
At our Derby clinic our highly-skilled dentists will use advanced equipment and precise techniques to clear the root canal system of all traces of infection. This is usually carried out under local anaesthetic, although we can use sedation if you’re nervous. The procedure feels no different to having a standard filling.
A temporary filling will be placed to give your tooth time to settle. You will be called back for a second appointment to check all traces of infection are gone before your tooth is permanently filled. In many cases your dentist will also recommend capping the tooth with a crown to give it extra strength.