Root Canal Treatment
Efficient treatment under a microscope
Root canal treatment is a dreaded part of dental care, but its notorious reputation is somewhat unjust. In truth, root canal treatment is a procedure that can save your teeth, by preventing the tooth from being removed or from being completely destroyed. What’s more, they can directly address the cause of pain and prevent it from ever returning. Read on to find out more about the indication for root canal treatment, the procedure itself, and the price of treatment.
When is root canal treatment performed?
Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, involves the removal of dental pulp in which painful inflammation takes place.
Dental pulp is a living, innervated and bloody tissue inside the tooth. Dentine and dental enamel are a barrier that prevents microbes from entering the pulp. Untreated caries causes this barrier to weaken and crumble, allowing bacteria to reach the inside of the tooth.
Pulp infection in turn leads to swelling, and when this sensitive tissue ceases to fit within the tooth chamber, considerable pain can ensue. This pain is typically described as sharp and piercing, although for some patients it can be dull and pulsating. It is often described as feeling worse at night and is typically what drives the patient to visit the dentist.
Another cause can be mechanical damage to the tooth. In this case, tooth rupture or chipping allows bacteria to reach the dental pulp. Endodontic treatment is carried out when the tooth is not completely damaged, but the ongoing inflammatory process of the pulp is irreversible. Whether or not a tooth qualifies for root canal treatment is determined by your dentist. This procedure can be performed on both adults and children.
The course of microscopic root canal treatment
Root canal treatment is carried out by an endodontic dentist. The procedure is preceded by examinations – visual inspection and X-rays. The patient is given local anaesthesia to prevent pain.
Currently, root canal treatment is precise and quick thanks to the use of a microscope. It allows the dentist to look inside the dental canals and remove the pulp with the highest accuracy.
Before this happens, decay – the main cause of pulpitis – is removed from tooth. Then, the tooth is opened, giving the dentist free access to the dental canals. The pulp is removed and the tooth chamber is rinsed to get rid of the tiniest remnants of infected tissue, as well as any microbes.
Next, the dental canals are dried and tightly filled with special dental materials. The open tooth crown is provided with a temporary filling.
The final stage is tooth reconstruction with durable materials. Depending on the condition of the tooth being treated, this will be carried out with a crown or a composite filling.
Effects of root canal treatment
Root canal treatment gives immediate relief from severe pain, and allows the patient to keep teeth affected by severe caries. The treatment often allows patients to get a good night’s sleep – something they may have been eluding them for some time due to the persistent pain.
Another benefit of root canal treatment is that it prevents the spread of bacteria not only within the mouth, but also throughout the wider body. It must be remembered that dental pulp is connected via the blood system to the whole body. Therefore, untreated inflammation in the pulp can lead to serious complications if the bacteria spread to other organs through the blood.
The consequences of leaving caries untreated are dangerous and painful. Microscopic root canal treatment, however, is not a procedure that you should be afraid of. Treatment combines accurate diagnostics, modern technologies favouring precision, and highly effective anaesthesia, all to make root canal treatment as safe and comfortable as possible. One of the best benefits is that the pulpless tooth can never hurt!
Price of root canal treatment
How much does root canal treatment cost? Definitely less than the treatment of further consequences of neglected caries. The exact prices can be found below:
ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
| Local anaesthetic: | Free |
| Anterior tooth (incisor, canine): | from £400.00 |
| Pre molar: | from £450.00 |
| Molar: | from £500.00 |
RE ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
| Local anaesthetic: | Free |
| Anterior tooth (incisor, canine): | from £400.00 |
| Pre molar: | from £450.00 |
| Molar: | from £500.00 |
| Additional canal: | £110.00 |
| Fiberglass post: | £190.00 |
MICROSCOPE ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Individual assessment required
