Skilled and gentle root canal therapy in Newbury
If you’ve landed on this page while searching for root canal advice, please allow us to dispel some myths – root canal has a special place in the popular imagination as being unpleasant and painful. But today’s high-tech procedure bears absolutely no resemblance to what a root canal treatment would have looked like 50 or 100 years ago. The procedure is considered as routine as carrying out a filling. It will instantly eliminate your pain, save your natural tooth and seal it against future infection. Here at Westbrook house Dental Surgery, we have a special interest in root canal, so you are in experienced hands. And don’t forget, we also offer dental sedation for nervous patients or complex procedures – so you really can feel confident about getting a root canal in Newbury.
The root canal journey – what to expect
Signs & symptoms: sudden toothache, swelling or sensitivity to hot and cold. When tooth decay penetrates inside the tooth, it inflames the sensitive central bundle of nerve endings called dental pulp. The sooner you come and see us about this, the sooner we can eliminate the pain.
Treatment: root canal treatment is gentle and high-tech, carried out under a local anaesthetic or dental sedation. It can sometimes be time-consuming, so you may wish to bring some listening material to your appointment. First we isolate your tooth with a rubber dam, and ensure it’s completely numb. Then we open up the tooth to remove the infected pulp. The pulp chamber is disinfected it and sealed with a flexible material called gutta percha.
Follow-up: root canal treatment can leave your tooth weaker than before, so you may need to return to have a dental crown fitted. Root canal treatment can also cause your tooth to darken, so we may also recommend internal bleaching and a professional whitening treatment , especially for a root-treated front tooth.
FAQs
Why would I need root canal treatment?
The causes of tooth infection can range from cracked fillings or crowns, deep decay due to cavities or gum disease, damage as a result of trauma, or even teeth grinding. Whatever the reason, a root canal treatment will prevent the need for tooth extraction.
What symptoms indicate a root canal?
Symptoms often come in two waves. When the pulp becomes infected, early signs include toothache, sensitive teeth to hot and cold foods, and pain when eating and drinking. When the infected pulp dies, these symptoms may temporarily subside – only to return later, more aggressively. When the infection spreads to the root canal, those early symptoms come back – this time accompanied by pain and swelling to the face and gums, and pus around the infected tooth, which will often appear dark in colour. In this scenario, contact Westbrook House Dental Surgery immediately.
Will I need to take time off work for a root canal?
You can carry on as normal once the anaesthetic has worn off, though the full healing period will take around a week – just be careful with what you eat and maintain an excellent oral hygiene routine.