Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal Treatment, sometimes referred to as Endodontic Treatment, involves treatment inside the tooth.

Inside the tooth, underneath the white enamel is a hard layer called dentin and inside this lies the soft tissue known as pulp which contains the blood and nerve supply to the tooth.

The pulp runs all the way from the crown of the tooth (the part you see in your mouth) to the very tip of the root of the tooth and connects the tooth to the other tissues surrounding it. In babies and children the pulp is very important as it aids the tooth's growth and development.

However, in adults, the tooth can survive without the pulp as it continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it.

Inflammation or infection of the pulp is a very common dental problem. Symptoms of pulp damage can include pain, swelling and tenderness of the surrounding gums, sensitivity to hot and cold and discolouration of the tooth. Very occasionally, there may be no symptoms at all.

Root Canal Treatments are carried out to relieve the pain of toothache caused by pulp inflammation or infection. They are normally completed over two or three separate sessions.

At your first treatment visit, the dental surgeon will remove the infected or inflamed dental pulp. Using specially designed instruments and materials he or she will carefully clean and shape the inside of the tooth and seal the space left by the root canals. In most cases a temporary filling will be placed over the opening.

At your next treatment, a crown or other restoration will be placed on your tooth. This helps protect the tooth and restores it to full function.

Decay, infected nerve and abscess	Instrumenting root canals
Inserting Gutta-percha	The abscess will then reduce

The charge for a root treatment depends on the particular type of tooth and the level of difficulty involved.