Root Canal Dentists in South Morang and How the Procedure Works
Root canal therapy saves a tooth that has been severely damaged due to disease, decay, or trauma. This procedure prevents extraction, allowing the affected tooth to be retained. Root canal therapy involves a step-by-step treatment and requires frequent appointments to the dentist to be completed. Fortunately, these appointments are spaced out with approximately 6 weeks between them, but the frequency and the number of the appointments are case-specific.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a dental procedure that involves the removal of a tooth’s soft center called the “pulp.” This pulp consists of nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels contributing to the tooth’s growth. Your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist uses a local anesthetic when performing a root canal.
A root canal is done to keep tooth functional in the mouth. Root canal is a treatment option given to avoid getting the tooth taken out. The root canal treated tooth is a “dead tooth”, as the blood supplied to the tooth was stop as a result of the dead nerve(pulp) .
When do I need a root canal?
People need a root canal when the pulp is inflamed, injured, or infected. Your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist saves the affected tooth by cleaning out the dead pulp and reshaping the canals. Fortunately, the tooth part that you can see above the gums (crown), remains intact despite having an infected pulp. However, most of the time a crown (cap) might be recommended to seal the work done in the root and to make the tooth stronger as it becomes very brittle without blood supply and can break easily with time.
Common causes of damage to the pulp include tooth decays, poor previous dental treatment, extremely poor oral hygiene, dental trauma, and cracked tooth.
What are the common symptoms of damaged pulp?
The common symptoms of damaged pulp include:
- Severe pain on the affected tooth
- Swelling (a sign of inflammation)
- A hot tooth (feeling a sensation of heat on the tooth)
- A collection of pus around the tooth
If these symptoms remain untreated, they can lead to:
- Fevers
- Blood poisoning (sepsis)
- Development of other illnesses
What happens during a root canal?
Your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist performs the root canal in a dental office. Upon arrival at your appointment, a dentist technician leads you to the treatment room and comfortably secures you in the dental chair. He will place a protective bib around your neck to prevent your clothes from getting wet and stained.
The root canal therapy includes, generally three appointments:
- Extirpation of pulp (nerve), starts getting rid of infection
- Preparation and shaping of root canal to carry-on fighting infection and to prepare the tooth internally to be filled up
- Filling and sealing of the canals
- After 6 months after a comparative X-rays is taken if all it is heal, no infection and the tooth is asymptomatic a crown(cap) will be prepared and inserted.
Here is a step-by-step guide narrating root canal therapy. These steps are a mixed of the above appointment’s routine. It is merely a gross guide of treatment
1. Induction of local anesthesia
During this step, your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist places a small amount of numbing medication on the gum of the affected tooth. After feeling the effect of this medication, your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist starts injecting the local anesthesia. This medication diminishes the pain perception of the nerves surrounding your tooth.
The only uncomfortable feeling is a sharp pinch followed by a burning sensation until you feel nothing. The local anesthesia does not put you to sleep. Instead, you remain awake, arousable, and coherent during the procedure.
2. Rubber dam insertion
This plastic sheet is used to isolate the tooth from the rest of the mouth, making safer the use of very small instruments, disinfectants, more comfortable for patient as no water will be going through throat while preparing the tooth and keeping a sterile ground for work.
3. Removal of the pulp
During the numbing of your tooth, your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist makes a small incision in the top part of the tooth, exposing the infected or dead pulp. Once the pulp is exposed, your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist removes it using files. At the same time, he performs deep cleaning of the surrounding area where the pulp was removed.
4. Coating of antibiotics or calcium hydroxide
After successfully removing the dead or infected pulp, your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist proceeds to coat the area with a topical antibiotic or calcium hydroxide, which help changing the pH of the area killing the bacteria inside the canal. This step helps prevent reinfection. After the coating, your dentist seals the tooth using a gutta-percha (rubber-like sealer paste).
5. Temporary filling
Your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist fills the incision in the top of the tooth with a temporary soft material to end the procedure and plastic temporary filling, of pink color.
6. Follow up and placement of a permanent filling.
Before heading home, you may notice your tooth feeling numb while the local anesthetic wears off.
Your Smile Ville dentist might prescribe you oral antibiotics (must of time once the root canal starts and the removal of infection and bacteria “kick in” locally in the tooth antibiotic may not be needed). Pain relievers like paracetamol or ibuprofen may be recommended as we work deep in tooth.
As the results come successful, your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist proceeds to place a permanent filling. Next, your Smile Ville specialist may place a permanent crown (artificial tooth) on your tooth. Despite being artificial, a crown looks close to natural.
How much does a root canal cost in South Morang?
The cost of a root canal treatment varies between states and depends on the number and complexity of teeth to be treated, the number of appointments needed and the need of a crown or no.
Does health insurance cover root canal therapy?
Health insurance extras in Australia do not always cover root canal therapy. Some private health insurance companies offer root canal therapy, but most of them come with meagre annual benefit limits. With, your private insurance will only pay for some of the procedures in root canal therapy, not as a whole. We will recommend getting in contact with your insurance with the codes requires to investigate a possible rebate from them.
What are the risks of root canal therapy?
Root canal therapy has achieved a 90- 95% success rate over the years, depending on patient’s oral hygiene and regular 6 monthly checks and cleans. However, some risks are inevitable. While root canal therapy is a very safe and standard procedure, you must seriously take some potential risks and complications.
Some of these risks include:
Pain
There will be expected pain following the root canal therapy. Your Smile Ville dentist or endodontist will prescribe over-the-counter medications to alleviate the pain. However, if the pain persists and intensifies, you should speak to your dentist about it. In some cases, traces of bacteria are left, which causes pain that lasts for weeks.
Erosion of the filling
The filling used to seal the root canal can erode over time. When this happens, opportunistic bacteria creep their way into the treated tooth, the same if the crown (cap) become damaged. Thus, causing reinfection. If you are suffering root canal re-infection, contact your Smile Ville dentist immediately.
What should I expect after root canal therapy?
A root canal therapy is a restorative procedure. With successful high rates, people who have undergone root canal therapy enjoy the benefit of it for a few years. From your Smile Ville’s dental perspective, retaining natural teeth is among the best solutions. However, the lifespan of the procedure still depends on how you take care of your teeth. When done correctly, root canal therapy guarantees nearly a hundred per cent satisfaction rate.
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Smile Ville is South Morang’s comprehensive dental practice, offering the highest quality professional care in a modern and comfortable setting.
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