Endodontics (Root Canal Treatment)

Chase Side Dental Practice offers in-house endodontic treatments, so you can receive expert treatment and familiarity within our practice.

All dentists have received training in endodontic (root canal) procedures. However, root canal treatment can be very complex and an Endodontist has more training, experience, and equipment to deal with this kind of dental treatment.

Our Specialist Endodontist is pleased to be able to offer a full range of advanced root canal treatments.

Receiving specialist endodontic treatment is recommended as an option to avoid tooth extraction.

Treatment

Root canal treatment aims to remove infected nerve tissue. It is removed from within the tooth by accessing and cleaning out the infected nerve. The space is then filled with a rubber-like material known as gutta percha. The treatment is performed under local anaesthesia.

A front tooth usually has one canal, while the back tooth usually has three or more canals. Occasionally, these canals are curved or blocked and for this reason, root canal treatment can be complicated and may take two or more visits, although sometimes it may be completed in one visit. The Endodontist will make this decision. Each visit lasts between one to two hours.

Local anaesthetic is used for root canal treatment, so no discomfort should be experienced during the procedure. We will make every effort to ensure your comfort throughout.

After Treatment

It is normal to experience some discomfort; this is usually controlled by over-the-counter painkillers and normally resolves after 7 to 14 days. Patients experiencing severe infections of their teeth may occasionally experience facial swelling. Contact your dentist or your Endodontist if this is the case so that they can provide you with advice.

Success Rates

The success rate of first time root canal treatment, performed by a specialist, has been reported in controlled studies as 90-95%. However, there is no way to guarantee a successful outcome from any medical or dental procedure. Previously treated teeth have a 50-90% success rate.

Root canal treatment is an intricate and complex procedure, and it is rare (just 5-10%) that the treatment is unsuccessful. If this occurs, further treatment and possible extraction of the tooth may be necessary.

Root canal treated teeth are often highly restored and highly susceptible to fracture, and if they fracture they may need to be extracted (resulting in tooth loss). Your dentist may recommend placing a crown on the tooth once the root canal treatment is complete. A crown protects the tooth from fractures and provides support. With a crown, the long-term prognosis of the tooth is better.

Potential Complications

• It is possible to experience severe pain and facial swelling when teeth have severe infections (in approximately 5% of cases). You should contact your dentist or the Endodontist and ask for advice in this case.
• A root canal treatment is carried out with fine instruments. In very rare cases, these instruments can fracture in the root canal. In some cases, it may not be possible to remove the fracture fragment; in most cases, this will not affect the prognosis of the treatment or the patient’s health. There are occasions (very rarely) when an occurrence like this can result in the root canal failing. Your Endodontist will inform you if this happens.
• In root canal treatments, these fine instruments may perforate the root canal walls, which could affect the treatment’s success. This is also an extremely rare occurrence.
• There is a risk of fracture in the porcelain of the crown when root canal treatment is conducted through an existing crown. As a result, you will require a new crown.

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Click here for the Endodontics Information for Referred Patients.