Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy (or root canal treatment) is a thorough and effective way to clean and repair the damage inside an infected tooth and stop the infection from spreading. It’s the best way to save your tooth — and save you the cost of getting dental implant surgery.

First, a local anaesthetic will be used to numb the tooth and surrounding area to ensure minimal discomfort. During treatment, a hole is drilled into the tooth and the soft centre (known as dental pulp) is removed. In some cases, it can take a few appointments for the dentist to complete the treatment and a temporary filling will be placed in the tooth to protect it between procedures. The space is then cleaned, filled and sealed so the tooth cannot get infected again. A dental crown may also be placed over the surface of the tooth to increase its strength if necessary. After treatment, you won’t be able to see any visible marks on your tooth and you’ll be protected from re-infection.

Root canal treatment is used to save a tooth that is badly infected or damaged due to decay, gum disease, cracked fillings, injury or wear and tear. When the dental pulp is damaged, bacteria can grow inside the tooth, leading to an infection or abscess at the tooth’s root. Root canal therapy is the most effective way to clear out this infection, repair the damage and save the tooth.

In some cases, you may experience no symptoms that your tooth needs root canal treatment. But most commonly, the signs include:
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- Toothache or pain when biting and chewing
- Swollen, tender gums
- Sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks that persists after the heat or cold has been remove
- Darkening or discolouration of the tooth
- Pus around an infected tooth

Root canal treatment may be more uncomfortable than a normal tooth filling because the procedure takes longer — but it is generally no more painful than a filling. In fact, root canal therapy helps to get rid of the pain caused by the infection. During our gentle treatment, local anaesthetic is used to numb the area so you’ll barely feel a thing!