Dental Services

Root Canals

Suffering from a dying tooth, we can help save it!

Root canal (or endodontic) treatment is needed to save a tooth that has been badly damaged by decay, disease or trauma. We use root canal treatment to allow you to keep affected teeth, rather than have them removed and replaced artificially.

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What are Root Canals?

Inside every tooth there are fine canals also known as root canals. These root canals contain dental pulp, consisting of nerves and blood vessels. If your dental pulp dies or is diseased, the root canal will become infected and a toothache and abscess occur. An Endodontist or your dentist can carry out a root canal treatment to save the tooth.

There are a few contributing factors that cause pulp death, including:

  • Decay
  • Trauma
  • Deep cavities
  • Extreme wear
  • Tooth fracture or a crack in the tooth

Root canal treatment should start as soon as possible after your dentist identifies the problem. The root canal process includes removing the infected pulp, cleaning out and disinfecting the canal and sealing it with an impervious filling. It is important to restore the tooth properly, to make sure the bacteria can’t re-enter the canal. Root canal treatment is carried out by a dentist, however more complex situations you can be referred to an endodontist specialist.

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Maven Dental Route Canal

Need to Know

Appointments

  • Root canal treatment usually takes several visits to complete
    • At the consultation, your dentist will examine your teeth and take x-rays. You may require some initial treatment if you are in pain.
    • At the next visits, we’ll clean, shape and disinfect the root canal. A small rubber sheet (or ‘rubber dam’) will be used to isolate the tooth
    • Finally, the root canal is filled and restored. If there has been a significant loss of tooth structure, you may also require a crown to protect it from further damage.
  • It is common for the tooth to be a little tender to bite on the following appointments.  This should quickly resolve, but you can always contact us if you have any concerns

You may be asked about

  • Your dental and medical history
  • Any pain or symptoms you are experiencing

How long it takes

  • The consultation and dental check-up can take around 30 to 45 minutes
  • The root canal procedure will take around 60 to 90 minutes for each appointment that is needed

Before your appointment

No special preparation needed

After your appointment

  • Maintain good oral hygiene habits at home
  • Avoid eating chewy or hard foods for the first few days
  • Take simple analgesics such as paracetamol for any post treatment discomfort
  • Ensure that you return for any follow up treatment such as a crown

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek advice from an appropriately qualified health practitioner

FAQs

The cost of root canal treatment varies depending on the complexity and it may take several visits to complete. Once you’ve been examined by your Maven dentist, they will be able to give you an appropriate cost and treatment plan.

It all comes down to taking care of your oral health, with a combination of at-home dental care and building a regular relationship with your dentist and dental hygienist.

We recommend daily healthy habits and regular visits to the dentist. For a healthy smile and overall good oral health:

  • Practice good oral hygiene habits at home including brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day
  • Book routine hygiene & check-up visits with a dentist or dental hygienist ideally every 6 months or as advised by your dentist

Not only will this prevent the need for root canal treatment, but it will help your Maven dentist to identify other potential problems before they become too big.

Your Maven dentist will assess the procedure and discuss your best options for treatment. This will involve a local anaesthetic to numb the area, however may also require different sedation options to help you feel more relaxed during the procedure.

The most common symptom that you may experience indicating that you need root canal treatment is pain, particularly pain on biting or severe pain that keeps you awake at night. You may also experience sensitivity to hot or cold, swelling of gum near the tooth or a bad taste in your mouth. It is best to consult your dentist as soon as you feel any pain or discomfort.