Is a root canal really what I need?
We’ve all heard our fair share of dental horror stories, or seen those gory scenes on television where sadistic men in white coats wield their pliers and drill with insane abandon. It’s these popular myths that cause many people to experience anxiety when faced with the prospect of a trip to the dentist, especially after being told that you are in need of the “dreaded” root canal.
But there is nothing, and I mean nothing, worse than tooth ache, as you’ll know if you’ve ever had it, and in reality the root canal treatment, or endodonics as it is also known, is one of the more common dentistry jobs and is a painless procedure.
The collection of nerves and tissue under the tooth is called the Pulp. When this becomes infected the area under the tooth can become swollen or inflamed. This can cause a range of symptoms ranging from an ache to quite severe pain, especially when eating.
The treatment itself is spread over several sessions. In the first session the infected pulp will be removed, any abscesses that have developed will be drained and the root canal will be cleaned and made ready to be filled, all under local anesthetic. A temporary filling will be put in place and the tooth will be allowed to settle. In the second visit, a permanent filling will be put in after an inspection of the tooth.
Most London dentists will have significant experience performing this kind of treatment, so your local surgery should be able to treat you, although in some cases you may be referred to an endodontist, who are specialists in this kind of work.
Any pain will subside after the first treatment session and the British dentistry association recommends, as always, brushing twice a day and avoiding sugary snacks as part of the after care process.
Tags: root canal, significant experience