A Root Canal can be a daunting procedure. But the experienced team at Advance Dental Clinic are here to ensure you’re relaxed and comfortable, and that your treatment is a complete success.
What is Root Canal treatment?
Teeth may seem solid as a rock, but that doesn’t mean there’s not something serious going on beneath the surface.
Harmful bacteria can grow inside your tooth – or the ‘Root Canal system’ – destroying it from the inside out. To prevent tooth loss, your dentist can remove the bacteria from the affected tooth, preventing it from spreading and causing further issues, before sealing the tooth again, ultimately saving it. This is known as Root Canal treatment.
Tooth cracks, ineffective fillings and other oral issues that damage teeth can help this bacteria seep its way into the tooth, infecting the inner pulp (nerve and blood vessels) that is usually protected by the tooth’s outer shell – like a worm digging its way into an apple.
It sounds terrifying. Thankfully, though, modern dental advancements have helped make this dental procedure a quick, safe and highly successful way of removing inner tooth bacteria, keeping your teeth healthy and your smile intact.
Signs you may need a Root Canal
There are plenty of symptoms indicating a Root Canal may be needed. These include:
- Severe or persistent toothache
- Infected gums
- Tooth pain during eating
- Damaged teeth (chips and cracks)
- Prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold food and drink
- Teeth loosening
If you have any of the above symptoms, whether you think you require a Root Canal in Essex or not, be sure to speak with a member of the Advance Dental Clinic team as soon as possible.
How the Advance Dental Clinic Team treats Root Canals
The team at Advance Dental Clinic is exceptionally experienced in performing root canal treatment, so you’ll be in the very best of hands.
After your dentist has determined a Root Canal Treatment is needed, you’ll be booked in for your procedure. The first stage of treatment isn’t too dissimilar to the way you would be treated for a filling; your dentist will numb the area using a local anaesthetic before entering the tooth using a fine drill (it sounds scary, but you’ve likely been treated with one of these before!).
Once the relevant layers of the inner tooth have been removed, the dentist will begin removing any infected tooth tissue often using a microscope for added precision and special treatment liquids, designed to destroy any infection and prevent it from returning.
When the cleaning is completed, the dentist will fill the tooth with a resin that once again provides your tooth with inner structure, before sealing it back up again with a filling-like topper or a dental crown, depending on the tooth being treated and the level of damage involved. And that’s it!
Worried about endodontic treatment? We’re here to help
Some patients get very anxious when they’re told they need Root Canal treatment, but there’s really no need to worry. Not only are Root Canals common practice here at Advance Dental Clinic, but they’re relatively pain-free too.
This means you can rest easy knowing you’re in the hands of qualified dental experts, and that you’ll have a fully-functioning tooth again once your treatment is done, without the nasty aches and pains!
But if you’re still feeling nervous about your treatment, we’re here for you. Our dentists are fully trained to deal with dental anxiety in all forms. It’s our job to help you feel safe by keeping you fully informed about all aspects of your procedure, in a calming and welcoming environment.
If you’re worried dental anxiety is holding you back, just speak to one of the team today and we’ll do our best to put your mind at ease.
Benefits of an Essex Root Canal Treatment at Advance Dental Clinic
- Incredible success rates
- In most cases, the tooth is completely rescued
- Prevents the spread of bacteria to other teeth
- Prevents the risk of further gum and jawbone issues
- Encourages positive oral hygiene
- Improves the appearance of teeth
Recovering from Root Canal Therapy
Most Root Canal treatments allow patients to return to their regular daily activities instantly – meaning you can head home, pick the kids up from school or even head back to work straight away if you wish! Though, we’d recommend allowing some time for the anaesthetic to wear off.
You should always wait for the numbness to subside completely before eating and drinking. Otherwise, you could end up accidentally burning your mouth on hot food without knowing or, even worse, accidentally biting your tongue.
After the numbness calms down, you may feel some slight pain in the treated area. This is perfectly normal and can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers, like paracetamol or ibuprofen.
While you’re free to eat and drink as normal, we’d recommend sticking to as many soft foods as possible for around two to three days, as this will give the tooth the stillness it needs to harden completely and for any lingering pain to disappear.
But you should definitely avoid any foods that could damage your tooth during this time – sticky sweets, extra-cold foods and very crunchy snacks are all worth leaving out.
We’re ready and waiting to help – so book yourself in for a consultation, or reach out for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Root Canal treatment hurt?
Many patients fear Root Canal treatment will be an excruciating procedure. That may have been the case many years ago but, today, Root Canals are no more painful than having a filling, which you've probably already had before!
Thanks to modern local anaesthetic and low-level painkillers you can use post-treatment, any pain you do experience after the procedure is done should be mild at best and is easy to keep at bay. After a few days, you'll wonder whether you had anything done at all.
But we understand a Root Canal can still be troublesome for you, that's why we're happy to take your questions and have a specialist endodontist at Advance Dental answer them for you. So get in touch to find out more.
How much does Root Canal treatment cost?
The cost of Root Canal treatment can differ from person to person, depending on factors such as the level of treatment required, the number of infected teeth, and so on.
For a clearer picture of how much your Root Canal will set you back, it's best to book yourself in to speak with one of our tooth loss endodontics specialists who'll be able to offer you an accurate diagnosis, and an accurate price as a result. Click here to speak to Advance Dental and get the ball rolling.
Do I need to have a dental crown after a Root Canal?
Potentially. Depending on the condition of the tooth once the procedure is complete, it may be necessary to top the tooth with a dental crown. When this happens, it's done for multiple reasons.
Firstly, a dental crown will help prevent reinfection by blocking the pathway into the tooth that may have caused your issues in the first place.
Secondly, it helps the treated tooth match in appearance with the rest of your natural teeth once again. But don't worry, your dentist will discuss all of this with you in detail.