Root Canal Therapy at East Fremantle Dental Centre
To ensure you achieve and maintain a healthy smile, East Fremantle Dental Centre offers various treatment options, including root canal therapy. If your tooth is sensitive to hot and cold, tender to chewing and biting or if you are experiencing a dull or throbbing pain from a tooth, a root canal (or endodontic) treatment might be required.
The purpose of this treatment is to preserve the tooth whenever possible. If you have a tooth that becomes abscessed or experiences nerve damage from an injury or decay that may cause the tooth (root) nerve to die, a root canal treatment is almost always necessary.
What Is a Root Canal?
Over the years, root canal therapy has changed dramatically. Patients should no longer see the procedure as fearful or painful. Remember, the purpose of a root canal treatment is to relieve pain, not cause it!
In straightforward terms, a root canal therapy removes infected tissue from the roots of the tooth underneath the gums. This is done to:
- Save the portion of the tooth above the gums
- Remove the source of infection
- Minimise the risk of further damage to the tooth and surrounding tissues
- Prevent loss of the tooth, which would require more extensive and expensive treatment
What to Expect
Root canal therapy varies from tooth to tooth and case to case. It requires three or more appointments depending on the extent of the infection.
- The first appointment: The root canal procedure begins with the administration of a local anaesthetic. Next, we remove all old filling material and decay. Then, we investigate cracks, and the tooth is assessed for restorability. Once we confirm the tooth can be restored adequately and that there is enough sound tooth structure to preserve it, we proceed to remove the infected pulp. Specialised instruments are used to file and shape the root canals and flush out all debris. A dressing is placed in the root canal, and a temporary filling is set in the crown part of the tooth to protect and preserve the dressing.
- The second appointment: One or more appointments follow to clean the canals and change the dressing.
- The last appointment: At the last appointment, the tooth root is packed with a special filling material ready for permanent restoration of the crown. In most cases, a cap/crown is required to protect and reinforce the tooth.
The entire process typically takes place over several visits to our practice in East Fremantle.
Helping You Feel Comfortable
Like with any other treatment at East Fremantle Dental Centre, we ensure you are entirely comfortable and have a thorough understanding of the treatment provided. A root canal treatment is nothing to be concerned about. If a referral to a root canal specialist is required, then we will organise that with a reliable, friendly local endodontist.
In Pain? Contact Us Today!
If you’re experiencing tooth pain, it’s essential to contact our practice today for an evaluation. We look forward to helping you feel better.