What is Root Canal Treatment?
Root canal treatment, or ‘endodontics’ as it is also
known, is a dental procedure used to treat decay, infection or injury to the
blood or nerve supply of the tooth (the root canal system). It is used to save
teeth which would otherwise have to be removed. The infection may cause an abscess
if left untreated which in itself can be painful so it is worth avoiding! In
the early stages of infection you may not initially feel any pain. In some
cases your tooth may darken – which may mean the nerve has died or is dying. The
symptoms of an abscess however can range from a dull ache to severe pain and
tenderness when you bite down. If a root canal isn’t performed the infection
would spread and the tooth would need to be removed.
The Root Canal Process
Root Canal Treatment is a skilled and time-consuming
procedure – root canals are very small spaces and they require a great deal of
precision and care to treat well. Like root systems of plants, the root canals
of teeth have a main ‘branch’ as well as many smaller side ‘branches’. The
whole system needs to be sealed during root canal treatment to be successful
long term. The aim of the treatment is to remove all bacteria and then to clean
and fill the root to prevent any further infection from occurring. Most courses
of treatment will involve two or more visits to the dentist.
Initially a local anaesthetic is administered via an
injection to numb the tooth and the surrounding tissues.
During the treatment, the inflamed or infected pulp is
removed, any abscesses are drained if needed, and the inside of the tooth is
very carefully cleaned, disinfected and shaped to enable the canal to receive
special fillings and sealers. Once the pulp and the nerves contained in it is
removed the tooth itself can no longer feel pain.
The freshly prepared canal space is then filled with a
rubber-like material called gutta-percha. It is a thermoplastic material which
is heated and then compressed into and against the walls of the root canals to
seal them – it fits exactly into the prepared space. Together with adhesive
cement called a sealer, the gutta-percha fills the prepared canal space.
Sealing the canals is critically important to prevent re-infection.
Next a temporary or permanent filling material will then
be placed to seal the access hole that was made to treat the canals.
Dead teeth are more brittle than live ones so your
dentist may fit a cap or a crown to strengthen it and replace lost tooth
structure as well as to provide a complete seal to the top of the tooth. You
may also be prescribed antibiotics to treat or prevent infection/re-infection.
Does it hurt?
Before having a root canal procedure you will be given a
local anaesthetic. This means the procedure shouldn’t be painful, and should be
no more unpleasant than an ordinary filling. There may be some minor discomfort
or a little tenderness afterwards but this should gradually subside over time.
You may also experience some sensitivity in the treated tooth (I’m speaking
from personal experience!) and this may take up to a year to subside.
Root canals are usually successful and a tooth can
survive for around 10 years after treatment.
What is the cost?
Root Canal treatment is a complex, skilled and lengthy a procedure
so costs can work out be be quite expensive. Most private dentists start their
root canal charges at approximately £360 per tooth, with the price rising on a
sliding scale depending on the number of roots, the difficulty of the
treatment, and the number of sessions needed. You may also have to pay separately
for x-rays, antibiotics, and other peripherals. If you need to have a cap or a
crown fitted then this will increase the cost further. Most private root canal
bills are in the range £360 to £475 per tooth.
On the NHS root canal work is considerably cheaper and
falls into ‘Band 2’ course of treatment. At the time of writing this article
the cost for band 2 treatment is £51.30 (please be aware however that should
you require additional treatments such as x-rays then these will be charged separately).
Aftercare
Teeth that have had a root canal may darken after treatment although
this is less common with modern techniques. They should be treated just the
same as any other tooth i.e. they need to be cleaned twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
You should also have regular check-ups with your dentist.
Further
Information
If you require further information then check out the NHS website
article about Root Canal Treatment:
No comments:
Post a Comment