Root Canal

Root canal surgery is a process in which the infected material, which is causing pain and damaging the tooth, is removed whilst keeping the tooth intact. This is done by drilling a hole into the tooth, creating access directly to the pulp tissue at the tooth canal. This infected pulp is then extracted through the hole and thus removing the infection, leaving the root canal to repair. Often the hole which has been created is treated with a temporary filling so that, in a post-surgery check-up appointment, the tooth can be checked, to ensure that the tooth is no longer infected. If a permanent filling is applied before the tooth has been assessed, it’s possible that the infection could still be present, which would require another surgery to remove the remaining infected material.
Unlike the symptoms of having an infected tooth, root canal treatment is painless. Prior to surgery, an x-ray will be taken of your tooth, to identify exactly where the infection is and assess how serious the situation is. A rubber dam will also be used, which is placed around the tooth to ensure that the infection doesn’t spread throughout the mouth. Before we carry out the surgery, appointments will have taken place prior to discussing with you the treatment, it’s also in these meetings that we will ensure you’re not allergic to any of the materials we use.
Once the surgery has taken place and the infected tissue has been completely removed, the next step is effective aftercare. As the procedure can be quite invasive and intense, especially on the tooth which has received the root canal treatment, it’s important you look after it. There are cases where, if the tooth is too worn or damaged as a result of the infection, a crown may need to be fitted on the tooth. A crown is essentially a cap that fits over your tooth in order to protect it and ensure it retains its structural integrity. If it’s one of your back teeth which has been treated, this will increase the chance that you’ll need a crown as these teeth are used for chewing. Fortunately, we also offer crowns here at Dental Excellence, meaning you can receive this part of the treatment at our facility too.
Initially, once the treatment is complete, your face will still be numb as it can take a few hours for the anaesthetic to wear off. There’s also potential for there to be pain for a few days after the surgery, whilst your mouth properly heals. In addition to this, it’s extremely important that you keep your mouth clean and maintain good dental hygiene. You should also be careful when consuming sugary foods and drinks as these can accelerate tooth decay. In serious cases, this could lead back to square one, with another infection developing in your tooth. Our team, here at Dental Excellence, are also on hand to help with any issues or questions you have post-treatment to ensure your recovery is as quick as possible.
There’s also the chance that you will be required to attend post-surgery appointments so that your recovery progress can be checked. This will include an assessment of the tooth and x-rays to gain a clear understanding of the state of the tooth. If issues such as cracks or other types of decay have occurred, there’s a chance you may need to have further treatment. You will be advised to look after your teeth in a number of ways, post-treatment, including brushing your teeth thoroughly and regularly, to prevent bacteria from forming around the tooth. Using mouthwash and floss is also extremely important, as you should use this as part of your normal dental care routine anyway. Cutting down on foods that are particularly sugary or high in acid content is another important step as this can help protect the tooth.
There are of course risks involved with the treatment, as there are in any surgery, which is why it’s important to seek treatment from a clinic with a good reputation and a skilled team. Complications that can occur as a result of the treatment are damage to the canal or the tissue in the surrounding area, infection as a result of the treatment or nerve damage. Our expertise, top-quality equipment and sterile facility help reduce the chance of any of these issues occurring but it’s important you’re aware of the risks before undergoing the surgery.
We’re always transparent about costs to ensure you can budget effectively. Our root canal treatment will cost between £575 – £865, depending on the complexity. A crown will cost £800 per tooth and if you need to have a tooth extracted, this will cost £145+ but the price is again dependent on the tooth. Once we begin planning the procedure and have appointments to outline your treatment plan, we’ll be able to give you a much more accurate idea of costs.

There is a range of issues that can lead to root canal infections, so it would be impossible to narrow it down to a single cause. There is also a range of ways that these issues can be caused but maintaining a high standard of dental hygiene is a good place to start. Often, one of the most common causes of root canal issues is if tooth decay has been left untreated. This can lead to the situation worsening and damaging large parts of the tooth, leaving the pulp cavity and root canal susceptible to infection. Tooth decay is completely preventable too, by brushing your teeth properly and using floss, you’re able to remove plaque build-up from your teeth and prevent decay. You can also receive fillings if the decay has already damaged your tooth, this will reduce the chance of the damaged area leading to serious infection.

Cracked teeth are another serious issue that can lead to root canal infections or damage. Teeth can become cracked due to a number of things, including sports injuries, biting too hard, grinding your teeth or accidents. This can also create different types of cracks, such as one main crack or multiple smaller ones. Both of these types of cracks can cause serious damage and will need to be treated as soon as possible to prevent the situation from worsening. If you have smaller cracks in your teeth it may be difficult to see and they’re often not very visible. However, one key way to tell is if you feel discomfort, especially when eating or when subject to cold or hot temperatures.

A cracked tooth can leave the tooth susceptible to infection due to the inner tooth being exposed. It can also cause other issues as a result of the crack, such as blood vessels or soft tissue becoming damaged. This will require a dental procedure to be fixed, however, if it’s left for too long it can lead to tooth loss. Depending on the severity of the crack and whether or not the pulp inside the tooth is damaged, you may need a root canal procedure. This can lead to your tooth being saved, though, as the procedure will ensure any damaged tissue won’t get infected, the crack will then be filled to improve the structure of the tooth. Depending on the severity of the crack, you may be required to have a crown fitted to prevent a crack from occurring again.

If you’ve previously had a crack or severe tooth decay and had a filling, there is potential that this could become infected if it cracks or becomes loose. This is due to a previously damaged part of the tooth becoming exposed, giving bacteria the chance to target the root canal area. An injury could also cause this, if you’ve been hit during sports or by accident, this could potentially loosen the filling or damage the tooth directly. This could lead to nerve tissue becoming damaged which would cause severe pain and result in infected tooth pulp which will need to be extracted. If you’ve had multiple treatments on a single tooth, this could also increase the chance of the tooth becoming infected.

If there has been an issue with your tooth and you were looking to receive dental treatment but weren’t able to receive any in a quick enough time, you may need to have your tooth removed. Although we’ll do our best to preserve your tooth, if it does need to be removed, we can complete this procedure at our facility. We can also fit dental implants to replace the tooth which has been extracted, to ensure you don’t have to contend with a missing tooth. Dental implants are a great option for repairing your smile if you’re missing a tooth. This is especially the case if you’ve had a painful or unhealthy tooth as it can be replaced with an artificial tooth that won’t cause your pain and will still be able to perform the job it needs to. There is also the likelihood that the tooth has been damaged or is dead, leading to loss of the white colour, which means that when it’s replaced with an implant that you can enjoy a whiter colour.

You may also be wondering what happens if you get an infection in your root canal. One of the key indicators will be pain as it will likely make eating difficult, especially when chewing solid foods. Swelling will also occur which could also hinder eating and brushing your teeth too. This can be dangerous, however, as you may be reluctant to brush your teeth properly, which will allow more bacteria to gather. This will lead to the situation worsening and if you haven’t got it already, could lead to gum disease. Gingivitis is also a cause of root canal infections, so this would only worsen the situation and increase the chance of tooth loss.

If you suspect you may have a root canal infection, it’s important that you look out for any of the signs which may reveal the issue and also ensure you act when you can. If you’re unsure, you should seek a checkup anyway, as there are cases when you may not know about the issue until it worsens. This improves your chance of catching the infection early on, which could save your nerves and surrounding tissue before they become damaged. The infection can also spread, given time, so the sooner you catch it, the less intensive the root canal surgery will be, as there is less infected tissue to remove.

At Dental Excellence, we pride ourselves on being able to offer solutions to dental issues, leading to your life being changed for the better. Even if the issue is serious, such as a root canal infection or a decaying tooth that needs removing, we can help and provide treatment that will repair your smile. Our expertise and incredible technology which is available to us at our state of the art facility is what allows us to carry out these life-changing procedures to a range of clients.