Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatments are the last attempt of dentists to save a severely infected or damaged tooth before considering its extraction. This therapy, also known as endodontic treatment or simply root canal, is a complex restorative procedure that requires a long clinical session and expert hands. However, at Malvern Dental Studio, our highly skilful dentist has vast experience in root canal treatment, and they do their best to preserve natural teeth for as long as possible.

What is a root canal treatment?

This treatment aims to remove the infection within a tooth. Whenever a tooth gets badly infected, bacteria invade the pulp, the inner soft tissue that keeps the tooth alive. At this point, there’s no choice but to remove this soft tissue: if this infection is left untreated, it can lead to the formation of an abscess coupled with severe pain and swelling.

Why would I need a root canal treatment?

Our dentists will indicate a root canal filling whenever the dental pulp gets infected. This infection can be caused by:

• Long-standing dental cavities: if cavities are treated on time, they don’t represent a severe threat to oral health. However, if patients wait too long between dental check-ups, the cavity becomes too deep, and bacteria end up contaminating the pulp.
• Severe trauma: when a tooth suffers severe trauma or an extensive fracture, the pulp is irreversibly affected.

What are the typical steps in a root canal treatment?

This procedure can be summarized in four steps:

1 – Anesthesia: With local anesthesia, our dentist will numb the tooth and surrounding soft tissues to ensure you will be comfortable during the treatment.

2 – Create a sterile environment: the next step is to isolate the affected tooth with a thin rubber sheet. Then, our dentist drills a small access hole through the tooth’s biting surface or back surface, which allows us to access the inside of the tooth, pulp, and root canals.

3 – Extirpate the infected pulp: when proper visibility is obtained, we remove the infected tissue and clean the empty canals with an antiseptic solution. Once everything is cleaned out, our dentist uses manual files to give the root canals a desirable size and shape.

4 – Sealing the tooth from reinfection: The last step is to fill and seal the canals with a thermoplastic and biocompatible material called gutta-percha to prevent recontamination. An infected root canal has a bad prognosis, so this step is crucial for the success of the treatment. We finally fill the hole that was first drilled with a temporary material that will be later replaced with a permanent restoration.

What happens after I have my root canal treatment?

When the treatment is finished, our dentists will evaluate how to restore the tooth’s crown. Although our team sometimes chooses a tooth-color dental filling, most patients will need a dental crown to strengthen the weakened structure of the treated tooth. Root canal fillings are only possible if the tooth hasn’t lost too much structure to dental decay.

Root canal treatments in Melbourne

Do you feel you might benefit from root canal therapy? Get in touch with our team to learn more about root canal treatments and other services. Our team of experts will be happy to clear up all your doubts!