Root Canal Treatment at Yangebup Dental Centre

This dental procedure is carried out when the innermost part of the tooth (‘the pulp’) becomes badly decayed or infected. If left untreated, the tooth will begin to die which could lead to the loss of the tooth. To save the tooth, the infected pulp needs to be removed to prevent the formation of an abscess. In dental terms this procedure is called ‘Endodontics’

The tooth is made up of
  • Enamel – The hard outer layer of the tooth.
  • Dentine – This forms the core and gives the basic shape to the tooth which supports the enamel, it is softer than enamel but harder than bone.
  • Pulp – Is the central part of the tooth which contains nerves and blood vessels and lies within the root canal

The reason the pulp would die
  • Caries – If caries ‘decay’ is left, it will travel through the enamel and dentine down into the pulp chamber. 
  • Trauma – A severe knock that affects the pulp. 
  • Severe Gum Disease - The gum detaches itself from the tooth creating a gap between the tooth and the gum, bacteria then gets trapped causing an infection which can infect the pulp. 
The symptoms
  • Pain – This can be anything form a constant dull ache to severe pain or pain only when biting
  • A spot sometimes appears on the gum in the area of the infected tooth, this is where the collection of puss from the root tip is draining which will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
  • Swelling in the gum area surrounding your tooth
Procedure
On your initial appointment the dentist will locate the offending tooth and take an x-ray in order to show the roots of the tooth, to see how far the decay has travelled and if there is an abscess present. 
A course of antibiotics may be given to clear the abscess before the treatment is started, as the abscess will reoccur if the treatment is NOT carried out.
Once the root canals are cleaned, the dentist will place  a medication to help clear any bacteria. The tooth will then either be temporarily filled and another appointment required or if the infection was not too serious, the tooth can be filled permanently and your treatment complete.
Contact the professional team at Yangebup Dental Centre today.
Call 9417 9888 or send an appointment request.