Endodontics
Root canal treatment for infected teeth in Manor Park, London
From the ancient Greek 'Endo', meaning 'inside' and 'odont', meaning 'tooth', endodontics is a field of dental care that concerns itself with the soft inner pulp of a tooth; the part that contains tiny blood vessels and nerves.
Widely known as root canal treatment or root canal surgery, the procedure is used when the inner pulp of the tooth becomes infected, either through infection or dental decay.
Despite its somewhat unwarranted reputation, root canal treatment should cause the patient no more discomfort than most other invasive dental procedure and is done using a local anaesthetic. It is an excellent method of tooth preservation where the remaining enamel is intact and in otherwise good health.
The procedure
To perform a root canal procedure, the area of the tooth is first of all numbed using a local anaesthetic. Once this has taken effect and the area is numb, the dentist at Vara Dental Practice will then remove the top of the tooth to expose the inner pulp.
The infected pulp is then removed, and the interior of the now hollow tooth cleaned and disinfected to remove any remaining infection. The tooth will then be filled and, in many cases, completed by the addition of a dental crown. This not only improves the appearance of the tooth but also helps to give it additional strength.
Whilst usually, a root canal procedure can be performed in just a single visit, on occasions, it may be necessary for the patient to attend for subsequent appointments at our East London dental practice to ensure that the infection is fully cleared.
Aftercare
Because the nerves have been removed from the tooth, it is technically ‘dead’ and therefore lacks any sensation. Care should still be taken though to clean the tooth and gums in that area to prevent gum disease from occurring which may threaten the tooth’s survival.
Care should also be taken as, although reasonably strong, the tooth may be more susceptible to breaking, so biting on hard objects should be avoided where possible.
Generally speaking, once the tooth has been treated and a crown attached, it can be expected to last in the region of ten years although this will, of course, depend on individual cases.
For more information about the endodontic services that we offer at Vara Dental Practice in Manor Park, please call us and speak to one of our friendly reception team on 020 8552 1626.
