We like to see your teeth in optimum health at all times, however in the case of infection we can treat the tooth to restore function.
Teeth can become infected if you have poor oral hygiene, has a result of deep cavity cause by decay or from a severely cracked tooth.
In this case, you will need to visit your dentist promptly to receive root canal treatment to have any chance of saving your natural tooth. This will prevent any further corrosion to your tooth and nerve.
Endodontic treatment, otherwise known as root canal treatment aims to clean out the infected tooth pulp (inside of tooth) to prevent the nerve from dying.
Signs you may require root canal treatment:
- Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods or beverages
- Constant throbbing tooth pain
- Pain when biting and chewing
- Looseness of the tooth
- Pus surrounding the tooth
The tooth is encased in a ‘rubber dam’ so the infection does not spread to surrounding teeth or gums.
A small incision is made inside the chamber of the tooth, to extract the infected matter from the tooth pulp. The inside of the cavity is then thoroughly cleaned and the debris is removed.
When the tooth is infection-free, it is then filled and sealed to leave a fully functioning and healthy tooth.