Root Canal Therapy
Our dentist at the Orangeville Dental Centre provide root canal therapy in order to improve your oral health and save your damaged tooth.
What is Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is required when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that would otherwise die and have to be removed. Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the best solution, but extracting (pulling) a tooth can ultimately be more costly and could cause significant problems for adjacent teeth. Root canal treatment is highly successful, although on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated.
Signs and symptoms that you may need root canal therapy:
- An abscess (or pimple) on the gums
- Sensitivity to hot and cold
- Severe toothache pain
- Sometimes no symptoms are present
- Swelling and/or tenderness
You may require root canal therapy if:
- Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth)
- Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip
- Injury or trauma to the tooth
What is involved in root canal therapy?
A root canal procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist).
While the tooth is numb, a sheet of rubber will be placed around the tooth to keep it dry and free of saliva. An access opening is made on top of the tooth and a series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria. In cases where tooth decay is present, it will also be removed with special dental instruments.
After the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it will be sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed.
At the next appointment, the roots and the inside cavity of the tooth will be filled and sealed with special dental materials. The opening on top of the tooth will be covered by a filling. In addition, all teeth that have root canal treatment should have a crown (cap) placed. This will protect the tooth, prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its full function.
Your tooth may still be sensitive after treatment, but this will subside as the inflammation diminishes and the tooth has healed.
Care instructions will be provided to you after each appointment. Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your root canal treatment.