The centre of your tooth is known as the pulp chamber and houses your tooth’s blood vessels, nerves and pulp. Your tooth pulp is a sensitive tissue, providing oxygen, nutrients and feeling to your teeth.
Pulp extends from the top of the pulp chamber into the bottom of each root canal. If your tooth’s pulp becomes infected, the whole chamber needs disinfecting. This is known as root canal therapy.
At Boon Dental, root canal therapy is a routine procedure in which we have a lot of experience. In this article, we discuss the details of root canal therapy, why you may need it, what it involves and how we can help.
Why You May Need Root Canal Therapy
Your dentist will do a thorough oral examination to determine if root canal therapy is right for you. This examination may consist of several investigations. Below are some of the common symptoms that may present themselves when your tooth’s pulp has become infected and needs root canal therapy:
- toothache
- sensitivity to hot and cold drinks and food
- sensitivity to pressure (when chewing/biting)
- loosening of your tooth
- swelling of your gums surrounding the tooth
- pus oozing from the area surrounding the tooth
- swelling of your face around the area
It is possible for your pulp to become infected and not present any symptoms at all. This is why maintaining regular and ongoing dental check-ups is important. Infected tooth pulp can usually be diagnosed with special tests and equipment that your dentist uses during your check-up.
What Root Canal Therapy Involves
In summary, root canal therapy is a treatment dentists use to remove infected tooth pulp from your tooth and restore it to its original look and function. The treatment is done with the use of local anaesthetic, so once the area is numbed, you shouldn’t feel much at all.
The pulp of your tooth has one main function – to assist with your tooth’s development in your childhood years. Once your tooth is ‘fully-grown’, it gets its nutrition from the tissues surrounding its root, as opposed to its pulp. So, having root canal therapy does not mean your tooth is dead, thereafter. It simply means that it is without pulp, and in most cases, can last you many more years.
There are four main objectives of root canal treatment:
Disinfecting
Your dentist will remove any decayed tooth, infected nerve tissue, pus and other debris from your tooth and its pulp chamber. The area will then get a thorough clean.
Canal Shaping
Once your tooth’s pulp chamber is cleaned, your dentist will prepare your root canals for filling. This involves shaping your root canals into smooth, hollow tunnels. This part of the process involves some small dental instruments as well as a disinfectant to kill any residual bacteria.
Filling
So that bacteria doesn’t enter your tooth and cause infection again, your tooth is permanently filled.
Sealing
The final part of the process sees your tooth finished off with a restoration like a dental crown, for example. The crown caps your tooth. This replaces lost tooth structure and provides you with a natural-looking and functioning tooth. Note, not all root canal therapies need a crown or other type of restoration. This is mostly used in cases whereby the tooth has lost a significant amount of its structure due to decay or trauma.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore The Need For Root Canal Therapy
If your tooth pulp has become infected, it needs dental care. The need for root canal therapy should not be ignored. An untreated pulp infection can lead to complications including:
- The spreading of infection beyond your pulp chamber into the surrounding bone. This can lead to an endodontic abscess.
- Localised bone loss as a result of the infection spreading and eating away at your surrounding jaw bone.
- Tooth loss as a result of damage too severe to repair, which may include advanced bone loss.
How Boon Dental Can Help
If you think you may need root canal therapy, look no further than Boon Dental. At our dental practices in Wentworth Point and Ropes Crossing, we’re extra gentle. We genuinely care.
Our team of dental professionals understands that having root canal therapy may be daunting to some patients. But at Boon Dental, you’re in safe hands. We do everything we can to make sure you’re as relaxed and comfortable at all times! Our dentists take the time to listen to your concerns and explain every part of the treatment. So, you’ll always know what to expect, every step of the way.
To make an appointment, please contact our friendly front desk.