root canal
Root Canal Treatment
Treat an infection inside of your tooth and relieve your pain
What is root canal therapy?
If the inside of your tooth gets an infection through either decay or damage sustained through an injury, you will need root canal treatment.
The treatment involves cleaning the tooth root canals to eradicate the infection.
If you don’t have treatment, the injury can spread through the root canal system, causing an abscess. The infection may also spread to other parts of the body which may result in the tooth being extracted.
Root canal therapy will:
- Relieve pain
- Treat the infection and prevent it from spreading
- Preserve the health and structure of the tooth
- Restore the tooth to its natural look and feel
- Avoid having the tooth extracted and the expense of having it replaced
What is the process for root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment, also known as endodontics, is a skilled process which takes time and for this reason, will involve at least 2 appointments
Assessment
First, we will inspect your mouth to see where you are experiencing pain or where you have symptoms. We may take an x-ray which helps to show us what is happening inside of the tooth.
Local anaesthetic
Next, we will gently administer a local anaesthetic to your mouth so that you will not feel any discomfort during treatment.
Preparation of the tooth
Your dentist will then remove the top of your tooth to create an opening.
Cleaning of the root canals
Your dentist will then remove the infected pulp from within the tooth. A special liquid is used to clean and flush out the root canals to ensure that the infection is eliminated and will not return.
Temporary filling
Next, your dentist will close the opening in your tooth with a temporary filling. If your infection was severe, you may be given antibiotics.
Dental crown
At your final appointment, we will check on the health of your tooth and ensure that there is no sign of the infection. Once we are happy that the infection has been dealt with, we will fit your tooth with a custom-made dental crown which sits on top of your tooth, looks completely natural and provides protection.
Why choose Askew Dental Care for root canal treatment?
Patients from Hammersmith, Acton, Turnham Green and West London choose Askew Dental Care for root canal therapy because:
- We offer a high quality and personalised service to all our patients
- We have been established for over 60 years with regular patients from areas including Shepherd’s Bush, White City and throughout West London
- We welcome patients of all ages and build caring relationships which last a lifetime
- We offer a wide range of general, cosmetic and restorative dental treatments in our relaxing and friendly environment
- We offer 0% finance options which helps make the cost of restorative dentistry affordable
FAQs
How do I know if I have an infection in my tooth that needs root canal treatment?
You may notice a swelling around the line where your tooth meets your gum. Other symptoms include an abscess on the gum, or you may have a toothache which is made worse by changes in temperature. You may have chips or cracks in the tooth, or the tooth may be discoloured.
Will my tooth be the same after root canal treatment?
In most cases, a tooth will look and feel the same after root canal therapy and should last for up to ten years. The success of your root canal therapy will depend upon several things including how much of your natural tooth remains, how well you keep your teeth clean and the biting forces on your tooth. Having the crown fitted after treatment is important for the survival rate of the tooth. Sometimes, the treated tooth may look darker or discoloured, if this happens, your dentist can help lighten it using cosmetic dentistry.
What is the recovery time for root canal treatment?
As the local anaesthetic wears off, your mouth may be sore. You can take paracetamol for the pain. Most people are back to normal within 2 or 3 days.