General Dentist Airdrie
Root Canal Treatment

A dental root canal is a treatment for severely damaged or infected teeth, whereby the root canal dentist removes the diseased or damaged area at the centre of the tooth, namely the pulp, cleans, disinfects, and shapes the site, and then fills it with a material to seal off the root canal.

Years ago, teeth with injured, diseased, or dead pulp had to be extracted, leaving you with a gap in the mouth, or forcing you to seek additional treatment to get a tooth replacement. Today, endodontic treatment saves many teeth in a fairly easy and cost-effective procedure.

Pulp damage can be caused by a number of factors, including:

• A deep cavity
• A cracked tooth
• Severe injury to the tooth – due to severe impact

If an infected pulp is left untreated, pus can accumulate at the tip of the root in the jawbone, creating an abscess. This can, in turn, damage the surrounding area while causing a lot of pain.

Symptoms of possible infection:

• Sensitive tooth to hot or cold
• Tooth hurts when biting or with pressure
• You feel a severe, throbbing tooth pain
• The area is swollen
• You have bad taste in your mouth

Root canal procedure

When we determine that your damaged tooth can be saved with a root canal, we can commence the root canal treatment as follows:

Step 1: X-rays

An x-ray is important to determine the exact position of decay and extent of tooth damage.

Step 2: Anaesthesia

We will administer local anaesthesia to the affected tooth.

Step 3: Pulpectomy

After the site has been numbed, we’ll make an opening through the crown of a back tooth or the back of a front tooth in order to remove the diseased pulp. The pulp chamber and root canals will then be cleaned, enlarged, and shaped in preparation for filling.

Step 4: Filling

We will insert a tapered, rubbery substance called gutta-percha into each of the canals and seal it into place with cement. We may also place a metal or plastic rod in the canal to provide structural support.

Step 5: Crowning

Finally, we will place a crown over the tooth in order to restore its natural appearance and shape. If the tooth was severely damaged, we may build it up with a post before placing the crown.

Root canal retreatment

With qualified treatment and proper care, any root canal filling should last a lifetime, but in some cases, a tooth that has received endodontic treatment fails to heal properly and becomes diseased or painful months or years after treatment.

Common reasons for root canal failure include:

• Fracture of the tooth
• New infection in the tooth due to new decay or broken crown
• Failure to treat narrow canals during the initial procedure
• Salivary contamination within the tooth during restoration

If you experience any pain or discomfort in a tooth that has received endodontic treatment, we can provide retreatment to support healing and save the tooth. This involves removing the root canal filling, removing any infection, cleaning the canals, and placing new filling materials. Once your tooth has healed, we will place a crown, restoring complete function to your mouth.