Root Canal Treatment Explained

Although some patients fear them, root canal procedures are not painful. You can trust our professionals' knowledge, compassion, and experience.

Procedure for a root canal in detail

The first step our endodontists take is to locate the troubled tooth.

Your dentist will likely take a few further measurements of the damaged tooth before starting therapy to determine the severity of the problem.

Your dentist might next apply a rubber-like material to the damaged tooth to keep the area dry during treatment after anaesthetizing the tooth and the surrounding area. This stops materials and liquids from the treatment from entering your mouth and stops saliva and bacteria from contaminating the area.

By making a small hole in the tooth's chewing surface, the injured nerve can be reached.

Endometrics, a technique that lessens the need for further X-rays, measures the length of the root canal using an electronic gauge.

The root tips, or apices, are reached after the root canal has been cleansed using rotating files and a custom mix of disinfectants.

After a preliminary procedure, your dentist may use a specially designed file to clear the nerve canals once more. This procedure aims to eliminate bacteria and get rid of any remaining tissue inside the diseased tooth.

A thick root filling is used to seal the root canal after one of our dental team members has diligently and thoroughly cleaned, prepped, and sterilised it. This helps to stop bacteria from entering. Gutta-percha, the material we use for this, has proven to be quite dependable. Please feel free to inquire about gutta-percha and its advantages over competing materials from our endodontics experts.

After this root canal procedure, back teeth are covered with crowns or partial crowns to guard against fractures and reinfection. The restoration strengthens the tooth so that it will be twice as strong as an unrestored natural tooth.

The majority of these procedures only need one dental visit, depending on the level of the patient's root canal system complexity and the severity of the inflammation.

Once the anaesthesia has worn off, you can experience some swelling and discomfort. To help manage this discomfort over the coming days, your dentist can suggest over-the-counter painkillers.

Root Canal for anxious patients

If a patient is very anxious about getting a root canal, they might choose to have the full dental surgery done under light or moderate sedation instead of simply local anaesthesia.

Many patients fear having to spend too much time sitting in a chair during root canal treatment because it is frequently a lengthy procedure. We provide video glasses so that you can unwind and watch a movie or television programme of your choosing throughout the root canal process to help prevent boredom and help divert you.

Root Canal Retreatment

Even after receiving root canal treatment, a tooth could still re-infect. Typically, the patient will experience a reoccurring dull discomfort and an overall sense that "something is wrong." The tooth in question is frequently not the source of pain. Furthermore, unless the area is examined in an X-ray, the inflammation might not be apparent. On the X-ray, the damaged region will appear as a dark spot near the root tips.

What is a retreatment of a root canal?

Root canal retreatment may be required if an infection returns after root canal therapy. You may be keeping an eye on the tooth and the afflicted area as a recent root canal treatment patient, making you more aware of any pain or discomfort that returns.

A reoccurring dull pain that indicates a broad sense that "something is wrong" may be one of the symptoms. Frequently, an inflammation of the area around the root tips brought on by a re-infection that is only evident as a black patch under an X-ray is what is causing the pain and/or discomfort, not the impacted tooth itself.

Root canal retreatment is carried out similarly to your initial root canal procedure, with the exception that this time the original root canal filling is removed before new filling and sealing of the affected tooth are applied. The entire root canal system is also cleaned and disinfected during root canal retreatment.

Who is a root canal retreatment appropriate for?

Your skilled dentist at Smile Hub Dental Clinic will be in the greatest position to determine if you are a candidate for root canal retreatment on this occasion after your consultation and once, we receive your dental X-rays.

The affected tooth will be examined by your dentist or endodontist, who will also ask you a number of questions regarding the onset of the pain, whether the area has sustained any wounds, and the date of your initial root canal procedure.

One of the best tools for premium dentistry is our cutting-edge 3D X-ray equipment, which enables us to determine whether root canal retreatment is right for you.

In order to prevent more problems, your dentist may suggest an alternative therapy such a tooth extraction if you are not a candidate for root canal retreatment.

What takes place throughout a root canal retreatment?

No root canal retreatment will be performed before one of our dentists meets with you for an initial consultation to determine the origin of the problem and determine whether you are a candidate for retreatment.

Rest assured that, just as with the initial root canal treatment, you will receive a local anaesthetic before the procedure starts to numb the infected tooth and the gums around it, assuring a virtually pain-free appointment with us.

The procedure at Smile Hub Dental Clinic for retreating root canals.

In order to create the best dental care plan for you, we use our cutting-edge 2D or 3D X-ray equipment to diagnose the kind and probable complexity of the re-infection site at the root canal.

Your dentist uses a microscope to remove the initial root canal filling.

To eradicate any germs that may still be present and to remove any vestiges of root tissue that may cause subsequent possible inflammation, your whole root canal is cleaned and chemically and physically disinfected.

A fresh, thick root filling is used to block off your root canal and prevent bacteria from entering.

Crowns and partial crowns are used to seal your back tooth after a root canal in order to avoid fracture and any additional potential re-infection.v Fillings, crowns, or partial crowns are used to seal your front tooth after a root canal treatment.

What happens during a root canal retreatment?

Please be aware that root canal retreatment success rates range from 60% to 85%. Based on the condition of the root canal and the surrounding area, we will estimate the likelihood of your unique treatment's success during your initial visit.

If your dentist feels that it isn't the best dental procedure, he or she may advise another course of action.

Why Smile Hub Dental Clinic?

You naturally look for a qualified, skilled, and experienced dental professional you can rely on to provide the high-quality dental care you expect at every appointment whenever you need to take care of your smile—whether it's an emergency, during routine maintenance, or when scheduling cosmetic dentistry.

You should place your trust in Smile Hub Dental Clinic because:

Within the dentistry profession, we enjoy international recognition.

We take pride in providing evidence-based dentistry with a client-centred strategy.

Our clinical practise sets a new benchmark for modern dentistry by utilising the best handicraft, magnification tools like a microscope, digital computer-aided design (CAD), and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology to produce excellence in patient care and the success of dental treatments.

Our expertise in endodontics and endodontic surgery spans many years.

Our success rate for root canal retreatment is between 60% and 85%, and if the procedure is not successful, we provide a clear and confident professional dental care solution to protect your smile. When this occurs, your skilled dentist at our office can perform an apicectomy if it is determined that this is the best course of action for your dental health.

Apicectomy

When root canal re-treatment is ineffective, apicoectomy is a method of preserving unhealthy teeth.

What is an apicetomy?

If you have had a root canal and may need more root canal re-treatment, yet the damaged tooth is still inflamed, you may be worried about what will happen next. If this situation develops for you, you can be sure that our skilled dental professionals here at Smile Hub Dental Clinic have a clear and confident clinical dental care resolution to protect your smile.

When this happens, if an apicectomy is thought to be the best course of action for your dental health, it can be done.

The surgical removal of an anatomical apex is referred to as an apicectomy in medicine. If cysts or infection persist after root canal therapy or re-treatment and if our dentists are unable to clean and put a root canal filling to seal the root tip, an apicectomy typically entails little surgery.

Under local anaesthesia, a flap of gum is raised to reveal the root's tip. After that, the contaminated area is carefully removed, cleaned, and the size of the root's tip is decreased. If possible, our dentist or endodontist might be able to seal the end of the root tip by applying a filling made of biological cement.

Dissolvable stitches are used to completely seal the gum when the surgery is finished.

Who can benefit from an apicectomy?

As we work to give the finest level of care to look after your long-term oral health and teeth, our skilled dental staff will be in the best position to assess if you present as a good case for an apicectomy operation after your initial consultation.

If both the initial root canal treatment and the subsequent root canal treatment weren't entirely successful, an apicectomy is typically thought to be the next necessary step. An apicectomy is frequently suggested to patients who have failed two root canal treatments in an effort to lessen their discomfort from root inflammation and prevent extraction. Sometimes, other reasons, such as fresh tooth decay or trauma to the canal area, as well as treatment failure, can also contribute to the persistence of discomfort and infection at the root. The failure to clean and disinfect the root's tip is the most frequent reason for a lingering infection, nevertheless.

Correcting the root canal procedure and ongoing infection is crucial to preventing the infection from spreading from the root to other parts of the mouth or body and leading to additional complications.

Our endodontist will evaluate the area and determine whether you're a candidate for an apicectomy as opposed to an extraction if you're still experiencing pain and there is a clear sign of inflammation or infection around the root canal.

What happens throughout an apicectomy?

You would first receive a local anaesthetic to numb the entire root canal area, assuaging any fears you may have about potential pain or discomfort. One of our dentists will start the dental operation by making a tiny incision in the gum to remove the inflammation and the final three millimetres of the root while using a microscope or highly magnifying glasses.

Biological cement is subsequently used to plug the diseased root's tip, and in some situations, bigger voids are filled with synthetic bone or filler material. To prevent unwelcome bacteria from entering the area and growing into a dangerous abscess or infection, the root canal's entry is subsequently covered with a membrane or gum transplant.

Please be assured that each case is unique and that only the tip of the root is removed during microsurgical apicectomies. Bone augmentation and sealing are not necessary. The majority of endodontic procedures are not life-changing, however our dental patients may experience some discomfort or swelling in the hours following the procedure.

You will receive aftercare instructions from our endodontics staff regarding how to chew, brush your teeth, and manage pain. After the therapy, it could be essential to provide you an antibiotic prescription. To provide the most possibility of recovery, we advise all of our patients to finish the entire course and strictly follow the recommendations. Smokers will be strongly encouraged not to smoke in order to avoid lengthening the healing process and ensure that the gum tissue heals properly.

Your dentist might suggest that you refrain from engaging in particular activities while under intravenous sedation, such as running heavy machinery, exercising, playing contact sports, smoking, using sleeping pills, or consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.

Why Choose Smile Hub Dental Clinic?

You naturally look for a qualified, skilled, and experienced dental professional you can rely on to provide the high-quality dental care you expect at every appointment whenever you need to take care of your smile—whether it's an emergency, during routine maintenance, or when scheduling cosmetic dentistry.

Internal Bleaching

Teeth discoloration might be caused by a lack of root canal treatment, tooth damage, or dead nerves. Teeth can be made whiter with the aid of bleaching treatments, such as hydrogen or carbamide peroxide, thanks to internal bleaching. You don't need to let a single stained tooth sully your smile or undermine your self-esteem.

Why do teeth discolour?

The existence of decayed portions of the tooth's nerve is typically the source of a discoloration in non-vital teeth. Numerous tiny dentine canals surround the major tooth nerve. Small blood particles from the defunct tooth nerve build up in these canals when a tooth nerve dies, leaving a non-vital tooth. This can cause the tooth to become discoloured from the inside out, which affects your smile. 10% of patients are dissatisfied with the way their root-filled tooth looks even after receiving root canal therapy.

What options are there for hiding a dark tooth?

Treatment methods for stained teeth include the following: Crowns

porcelain veneers

white composite fillings

Replace the missing tooth with a dental implant, bridge, or denture.

To whiten teeth, use internal whitening with hydrogen peroxide alone, in combination with in-office chair side teeth whitening, or at home.

Using implants, dentures, or bridges will result in the discoloured tooth being permanently removed. In order to improve your smile and alter the shape and texture of your teeth, you can utilise veneers, partial crowns, or full crowns. However, in order to prepare the tooth for the installation of a veneer, partial crown, or full crown, all of these choices entail the removal of tooth tissue using a dental drill. To whiten your teeth, a dentist-led whitening procedure is an alternative. Internal bleaching can be done on teeth that have undergone root canal treatment.

One of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures carried out by a dentist or dental hygienist is teeth whitening or bleaching. With internal bleaching, it can still be challenging to achieve satisfactory results occasionally. You can read a thorough, step-by-step explanation of how to correctly do internal whitening below.

What is required to start an effective internal whitening?

a complete root canal without any indication of irritation

Having a clean mouth and healthy gums around it

A suitable restoration has already been completed or is scheduled to do so soon.

Identifying the teeth with a bright outlook in the long run

An endodontist must perform another root canal on the tooth if the first one wasn't successful. An increase in personal oral hygiene and a visit to a dental hygienist can help if the gums are irritated. If you are a good candidate, the diagnosis will be made during the initial consultation with particular attention to the endodontic situation.

What is the process of internal teeth whitening?

Parts of the root filling material that plug the canals are removed if the initial consultation determined that the aforementioned requirements are met or if all endodontic and periodontal treatments have been effectively completed. The next step is to seal the crown of the root canal procedure using an adhesive composite filling. The void is then filled with carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. Then the cavity is sealed. You will need to return to our dentist office a week later so we can evaluate the bleaching results. The whitening procedure will need to be repeated if the treated tooth is still black. According to our experience, three bleaching treatments are typically necessary. After achieving the appropriate colour, the bleaching reaction is neutralised, and the tooth is sealed with a composite filling or a dental repair, such as a partial crown or a veneer. This finish is based on the amount of tooth material lost and the likelihood that the treated tooth will crack. The outcome will last for a very long time.

The steps of the interior bleaching treatment in detail

first-time dental examinations, radiographs, and gum-charting

Choosing an appropriate treatment

Re-treatment of the root canal procedure and oral hygiene, if necessary

photo editing, shadow analysis, and grin evaluation

if necessary, creating a whitening tray and capturing imprints.

the material at the top of the root canal is removed.

putting an adhesive filler on the top of the root canal to seal it.

Putting the tooth's inside cavity with the whitening chemical

Put a temporary composite filling on the tooth to seal it.

Wait a week before checking the discoloration again.

Repeat the bleaching process until the desired whitening effect is achieved.

Finish the bleaching process by placing a tight filling in the tooth cavity.

Are there any risks associated with this procedure?

One of the safest dental procedures is bleaching, often known as internal or external whitening. There are hazards associated with medical treatments, just like with any other procedure. The gel used to whiten the teeth during internal tooth whitening for non-vital teeth very rarely causes gum irritation, bone resorption, or tooth material resorption. A firm seal of the root canal procedure with an adhesive filling is essential to avoid gel leakage. In order to get a white result too rapidly, it is crucial that the dentist sacrifices the least amount of tooth substance possible.

Summary

The internal tooth whitening process, along with in-office bleaching or tooth whitening, is one of the simplest ways to improve your smile. It's a quick, painless dental procedure that produces exceptional results. But it must be carried out according to the right protocol. Both the patient and the doctor may find the outcomes of the tooth whitening procedure to be highly attractive.

Are you prepared to smile once more?

The distinguished specialists at Smile Hub Dental Clinic in Bayside are prepared to assist you in bidding infection farewell. Make a consultation appointment right away to restore your smile's comfort and confidence.