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Root Canal Treatment is necessary to rid your tooth’s canal of infection. Without treatment, the infection can spread and cost you your tooth. Additionally, tooth root infections are typically painful and may cause substantial swelling.
Root Canal Treatment in Warriewood is not painful. Instead, it is ‘pain relieving’ and restores your oral health.
Causes of Tooth Root Infections and Symptoms
When bacteria penetrate tooth enamel—due to a breach or injury—it can reach the canal. This is the centre of the tooth root that houses pulp and nerves. In some cases, the infection results from untreated tooth decay. The cavity spreads and introduces bacteria to the canal.
If you have a tooth root infection, you may notice some or all of the following symptoms:
- Tooth pain or increasing sensitivity
- Gum or face swelling
- Tooth discolouration
- A bump or blister on the gum
In rare cases, you may not have pain if the tooth root is damaged and not conductive. However, seeking emergency dental care in Warriewood is still crucial if you notice swelling. Remember, infections can spread, and untreated root canal infections can mean loss of the tooth.
Lowering Your Risks for Dental Infections
Excellent oral hygiene lowers your risks for tooth decay, tooth infections, and gum disease. However, seeing the dentist regularly for check-ups and teeth cleans is vital. Check-ups help the dentist diagnose issues early—a cavity before it grows and penetrates the canal, for example. Teeth cleans rid your teeth of the plaque, tartar, and bacteria that your toothbrush and dental floss leave behind.
Oral injuries that impact the tooth may also leave you at risk for infection. So, we recommend wearing a mouthguard if you participate in sports. You should also consider a nightguard if you grind and clench your teeth (bruxism).
About Root Canal Treatment (and Retreatment) and When It’s Needed
Treatment is not painful. Instead, it is pain relieving.
Your dentist numbs the treatment site, which provides fast relief. Then, we gently extract the infection from your tooth canal. After removing the infection, we rinse the canal and close the tooth with a temporary, rubber-like material.
At a future appointment, we will restore the tooth with a tooth-coloured filling or a custom dental crown after the tooth has healed.
We use fillings only if the infection is minor and the tooth structure is not compromised. However, in most cases, you’ll need a tooth crown to restore stability and reinstate your chewing force.
Remember, Root Canal Treatment is not painful, but after we clear the infection from your canal, you may notice minor discomfort after the anaesthesia wears off. This is very temporary! It should improve gradually with each passing day until healing is completed.
Typically, an over-the-counter pain reliever is all you’ll need. Additionally, the mild discomfort is nothing compared to a growing root infection. Discomfort usually does not last more than a few days.
In rare cases, retreatment may be necessary if the root canal therapy fails. Failure may be due to reinfection, not following your dentist’s aftercare instructions, or if the canal is complex or curved. It is possible to reinfect the same tooth by not following an oral hygiene regime and not visiting your dentist for check-ups and cleans.
If the structure is too compromised, your dentist may talk to you about tooth replacement options, like a dental implant.
When Root Canal Treatment Is Needed
Anytime an infection penetrates your tooth canal, you’ll need root canal therapy to relieve pain and save your tooth.
For Toothaches in the Northern Beaches Area, We Welcome Your Call
A toothache with or without swelling is considered a dental emergency. We strongly encourage you to contact a member of our compassionate dental team as soon as possible to arrange a visit with the dentist.