Root canal, or endodontic treatment, will be required when tooth decay has penetrated to the sensitive dental pulp inside the tooth.
Root canal has a reputation for being unpleasant, but the truth is that modern endodontic treatment is now considered as routine as getting a filling – and with a specialist endodontist on the team here at Rhiwbina Dental, we believe we can put your mind at rest and feel confident about getting a root canal with us. The past few years have seen incredible advances in technology, and our root canal dentists use equipment and techniques that eliminate discomfort.
Discover a gentle and pain-free approach
Signs and symptoms of root canal
Root canal symptoms often come in two waves. Sudden toothache, sensitivity to hot and cold and swelling around the tooth are the obvious signs that the inner dental pulp has become inflamed.
Sometimes these symptoms subside as the nerves inside your tooth die off – but as the infection continues to progress, symptoms will return more aggressively, often accompanied by an abscess. This can be very unpleasant – however, a gentle root canal treatment will instantly eliminate the pain and save your tooth from being extracted.
What to expect from your root canal procedure
- The root canal procedure can sometimes take a few hours to complete – we recommend you bring headphones and listening material to your appointment.
- Once the treatment area is completely numb, the dentist will isolate your tooth with a rubber dam. This stops saliva touching the tooth during treatment and enables you to swallow comfortably.
- The dentist will open up your tooth with a small hole, and use a special tool to widen the passage. A suction tool removes all the infected pulp.
- The space left behind is then filled with a rubbery materials called gutta percha, which maintains the tooth’s strength and structure, and seals against future infection. A permanent filling or crown may need to be added at a later date.
