If ever you suffer from an oral abscess, the chances are you will probably be in a large amount of discomfort. Then once any antibiotics have taken effect and the pressure begins to decrease, you will likely be thinking that you never want to experience anything like that ever again! However, it can shock many dental patients when it is suggested that they undergo a root canal to prevent the infection from coming back. Or to prevent a second one from occurring.
For some reason, root canals have got a very bad name and if you come to see our team at Kooringal Dental, we will help explain why a root canal may be a great option for you.
At Kooringal Dental, our team will always aim to save as many teeth as possible and if you have suffered from a dental infection, our dentist Wagga will aim to prevent you from losing the tooth using endodontics, a crown or a filling. Extraction is a last resort and will only be considered if there is no other option to keep your smile intact.
Yet many people who have had it suggested to them that a root canal would be beneficial understandably have questions. In this article, our dentist Wagga aims to answer 5 of the most common ones that we receive.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is also known as an endodontic procedure and involves our dentist Wagga drilling through the tooth to access the root and clean out the pulp, removing the infected material and part or the entire nerve of the tooth. The hole is then filled and the tooth is topped with either a crown or a filling.
Why would I need one?
As mentioned before, the most common reason why people need root canals is if they have a dental infection. If you have had a crack in your tooth, or there has been a trauma to it and the pulp is now exposed, you may also need a root canal to prevent infection from occurring and to restore the tooth.
Is it uncomfortable?
No, having a root canal fitted is not uncomfortable and actually, the process is very similar to having a filling fitted except it will take slightly longer. A root canal can take up to 2 hours to fit and depending on how many roots have become infected, you may need to spread this out over several meetings with our team. We will always ensure that your mouth is numbed before we begin with either a local or general anaesthetic. If you are a nervous patient, we would be more than happy to offer you sedation.
How long do they last?
Providing that you maintain the health of your teeth and continue to visit our team every 6 months, a root canal should last the rest of your life without a recurrence of the infection. If you suspect that there is an underlying issue with your root canal, please call our team as soon as possible so we can assess if there is a problem.
Doesn’t it just delay extraction?
No, a root canal does not delay extraction. It aims to restore a tooth; a root canal would only be followed by an extraction if the tooth that it was under was not maintained and became severely decayed.
DISCLAIMER
All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.