Root canal treatment with your Melbourne dentist
Have you ever had an abscessed tooth? If so, you know the throbbing pain and swollen gums that go along with it and the inevitable trip to the dentist for what usually turns out to be a root canal. There are so many myths surrounding this procedure. Root canal therapy has evolved into a far less fearful procedure and is no more painful than getting a tooth filled! In fact, the purpose of a root canal treatment is to relieve pain, not cause it! We assure you that with the current technology and modern techniques, this is a highly successful treatment modality which greatly improves the longevity of your tooth.
Why would you need a root canal treatment?
Only a small portion of your tooth is visible in the mouth. Your tooth extends into the jaw bone as one or more root. The tooth has multiple hard casings. Deep inside the hard casing of your tooth, lies the nerves and blood vessels. The chamber of the tooth that house the nerve portion which extends into the roots is called the root canal. If any infection or trauma to the tooth leads to irreversible injury of these nerves, then your Melbourne holistic dentist may suggest you a root canal treatment. This damage or infection may have been caused by untreated dental decay, decay beneath a filling, tooth trauma, tooth grinding or gum disease.
The main objective of the root canal treatment is to remove bacteria and dead nerve tissues, so that, the infection cannot continue to spread and cause further damage.
Please note: Root canal treatment will be not be offered, if the tooth has advanced gum disease or if there is significant loss of tooth structure -in which case, the future chance of survival of the tooth would be poor.
What to expect during root canal treatment?
The treatment is generally done over several visits. Your dentist may prescribe you antibiotics and pain killers during your treatment. Each visit would generally involve numbing of the tooth and multiple x-rays to monitor the tooth and progress of the treatment. The first visit involves the dentist removing the damaged or infected nerve tissue and filling the infected root with an antibiotic to treat any remaining infection. The second visit would routinely involve, shaping the canals with fine dental instruments, to receive filling material. During the third visit, the tooth root is packed with bio-inhert filling material and a temporary filling material placed. The final restoration would be done after several weeks, once the tooth is confirmed to be asymptomatic. To ensure the longevity of the weakened tooth, generally a capping of the tooth is recommended.
Depending on the severity of infection and progress of your tooth, at times your holistic dentist may choose to combine various stages of the treatment, at one visit or at times may need additional visits. On rare occasions, you may experience pain or swelling during the treatment. In such scenarios, we advise you to contact us immediately.
Is there an alternative to root canal treatment?
If the tooth is left untreated, the infection can spread to the jaw and surrounding tissues, on few occasions causing life threatening complications. Long standing infections may lead to development of cysts. Both these scenarios would need advanced surgical treatment.
The only alternative to root canal treatment would be pulling of the tooth, after which replacement with options such as bridge or dental implants need to be considered to fill in the gap.
How do I manage the payment of this treatment?
At Holistic dental Melbourne CBD, we strive to deliver the best treatment offering latest technology at affordable pricing. You can pay the cost of treatment, in instalments over the multiple visits. If finances are a barrier, we can set up a suitable payment plan, so you need not delay the treatment you need.
Book in for an Initial Dental Consultation
Often visiting a dentist is not on the top of someone’s ‘To Do’ list but there are times when you simply have no choice. It may be that you have an abscess, nerve pain, dead tooth or you’re simply in pain and you’re not sure why. For any of these scenarios, we recommend you call us and book in immediately on (03)96622288.
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Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
