Root Canal Treatment - Endodontics

Root canal treatment is a therapy that is used to save a badly damaged or unhealthy tooth.

It can be carried out in order to save a tooth if it has an abscess, or hurts continuously. The practice of root fillings or root canal treatment is called Endodontics and it can often mean the difference between keeping a tooth or losing it.

How Root Canal Treatment is carried out:

The first step in saving the tooth is the removal of the infected pulp under anesthetic via an opening made in the top of the tooth.
The root canals are subsequently cleaned and shaped so that they can be sealed. Flushing of the root canals with an anti-bacterial solution removes debris from within the canals and sterilises them.
They are then filled and sealed with a material called gutta-percha which is totally inert. Then, depending on how much of the tooth is left, it is restored to its full shape by either a filling or a crown. This is done as soon as possible to avoid any risk of damage to the tooth due to forces exerted from biting (a root filled tooth is weaker than an unfilled one.)
Depending on complexity of the tooth itself, root canal treatment can be done in a single visit or may require more than one appointment to complete the treatment. If it is completed over multiple appointments, anti-bacterial dressings may be placed within the tooth, along with a temporary filling.
X-rays are often taken to monitor the different treatment stages and assess the length of the root.