Root Canal Treatment
Sometimes when there is too much decay, or of the tooth has broken and the nerve has been exposed, it may be to deep to do a normal filling. In cases such as this your dentist might offer you to have a root canal.
This involves :
- Clearing out the decay.
- Clearing out the nerve.
- Filling the root canal.
- Sealing the tooth in with a filling or “core”.
The Process :
- Before a root canal filling the dentist will numb you with anesthetic to make sure you do not experience any pain or discomfort during the procedure. If this is something you are worried about it is important you tell your dentist.
- Xrays will need to be recorded to assess the anatomy of the tooth and how deep the roots are.
- Your dentist might wish to use a “rubber dam” to help isolate the tooth. This will help keep the tooth dry and stop any saliva from interfering with the treatment, as well as preventing any of the material being used from falling into your mouth.
- The dentist will then proceed to clear out all the effected nerve tissue and decay from inside the tooth using a series of files. Once the nerve is cleared out and the tooth is free from decay , your dentist will then proceed to fill each root individually.
- Some teeth have more roots than others, it is for this reason that especially with back teeth your dentist may need you to come back for multiple appointments until the root canal is complete.
| Root Canal Treatments | Price |
|---|---|
| Single Root/ Front Tooth | from £360 |
| Molar Root Canal | from £660 |
| Re-Root Canal Filling for Single Root Front Tooth | from £300 |
| Core build up | from £250 |
| Endodontist - Front tooth | from £650 |
| Endodontist - Molar | from £850 |
After a root canal , especially if it has been carried out on a back tooth, your dentist might recommend a crown. This is because teeth that have been root canal treated are weaker and more brittle than healthy teeth, and relying on a root canal filling alone can increase your risk of the tooth breaking in the future. A crown can help prevent this eventuality.
Because of the complicated nature of root canal treatment, and the variation in every individuals root anatomy, root canal treatment does not have a guaranteed success.
Often if a root canal fails, or if a root canal is not possible another valid option is extraction, where you may later consider replacing the tooth with a prosthetic one.