Root Canal Therapy

When a tooth is irreversibly damaged through decay or trauma it will require root canal therapy to restore fully. Root canal therapy (rct) has a reputation of being painful however it is no more uncomfortable than getting a normal dental filling.
If rct is not carried out on a tooth then it is very likely that the tooth will eventually develop a dental abscess causing intense pain and resulting in the tooth requiring removal.

The procedure is reasonably straightforward however the dentist needs a lot of skill and knowledge to adequately perform the correct techniques. The tooth will be ‘frozen up’, and then isolated using a rubber dam before the dentist starts their work. Any decay is removed from the tooth and the root canals accessed. Dead or infected pulp tissue is then removed from the canals, the canals cleaned, and shaped, before being filled using rubber based filling materials. Once the rct is completed the tooth will often require a crown prior to it being fully restored.

Successful rct takes time and requires a very high level of skill from your dentist. Unfortunately NHS fees are such that we often cannot spend the required time or use our specialised equipment and materials which may give the procedure a higher chance of success. In some cases your dentist will advise that the procedure may be too difficult for them to carry out and will refer you to an endodontic specialist.