Root Canal, that sounds scary right. Well there’s no need to be daunted. We strongly believe here at King’s Dental clinic that the more you know the more confident you can be about your treatment. Yes, some complex treatments will need to be referred to a specialist but for the more common treatment of root canals in Hammersmith let’s look at the normal steps and likely outcomes.

Most likely this will take place over two visits. Should an infection presently exist, then you will need to stop treatment for a while it is thoroughly treated with a course of antibiotics. This is necessary before normal dental work can resume.

Why would a root canal be needed?

Receiving a root canal in Hammersmith is a very common procedure performed by dentists, the treatment is also known as endodontics and it’s used to treat the infections that occur right at the centre of a tooth. This treatment isn’t generally painful and it can actually save the tooth that might otherwise have to be completely taken out. Why might it be needed? This infection can be caused by a number of things but most commonly results from bacteria residing in the mouth and basically taking over the tooth. Many things can lead to this including general tooth decay, poor or leaking fillings and maybe damage to the tooth as a result of a traumatic event such as a fall or facial injury.

What’s the structure of your teeth?

Firstly it’s important to know a little bit about teeth to understand this process of root canals in Hammersmith. The tooth is made of two specific parts, the root and the crown. The Crown is simply the top part of a tooth whereas the root is the part of the tooth that extends down under the gum and into the bone in your jaw. The aptly named root anchors your tooth into position. The root canal is the connection between one part and the other.

The Prep Work

Endodontics, root canals, by definition are under the teeth.  it’s necessary therefore for your dentist like the team at Kings Dental to begin treatment with an X-ray. This will give us the clearest picture of what is going on and the best chance of treating the cause effectively.

The process

While the rest of the process may seem daunting it should be noted that effective pain relief will be provided by your dentist and as a very common procedure much has been done to make it as comfortable as possible.

The tooth is exposed from the top to allow the pulp to be gently removed. This pulp is what carries the infection and must be removed. The canal itself is now exposed. This can is widened using files to allow it to be cleaned and filled. This is perhaps the longest part of the process but should not be rushed. Once completed the tooth is then refilled with the pulp and if necessary a crown may then be placed on top.

Though a reduced lifespan a tooth treated like this can last you many years. Speak to our team today for a more detailed view on what your personal treatment plan may be.