Root Canal Sydney NSW
Root canal therapy often has a negative stigma attached to it, however the truth is – root canals can be used to save your tooth from extraction.
Here at Lumiere Dental Centre in Sydney, Dr Elkhatib will evaluate your tooth of concern to determine if a root canal is the most appropriate treatment for you.
There are three main layers to a tooth, it is the pulp that is mostly treated during a root canal.
- Enamel – The hard outer layer of the tooth.
- Dentin – This forms the core and gives the basic shape to the tooth which supports the enamel, it is softer than enamel but harder than bone.
- Pulp – Is the central part of the tooth which contains nerves and blood vessels and lies within the root canal
Why would I need a root canal?
The dental root canal procedure is generally needed when the innermost part of the tooth ‘the pulp’ becomes badly decayed or infected. If the tooth has been left untreated, it will begin to die which could lead to the loss of the tooth. To save the tooth, the infected pulp needs to be removed to prevent the formation of an abscess.
Why does the pulp die?
There are many reasons for the pulp to die however some common causes include:
- Caries – If caries ‘decay’ is left it will travel through the enamel and dentine down into the pulp chamber.
- Trauma – A severe knock that affects the pulp.
- Severe Gum Disease – The gum detaches itself from the tooth creating a gap between the tooth and the gum, bacteria then gets trapped causing an infection which can infect the pulp.
The symptoms
We encourage our patients to get in touch should they experience any dental concerns, however some common indicators often present themselves if a tooth is infected.
- Pain this can be anything from a constant dull ache to severe pain or pain only when biting.
- Blemishes may appear, this can sometimes appear on the gum in the area of the infected tooth, this is where the collection of pus from the root tip is draining which will leave a bad taste in your mouth.
- Swelling may occur in the gum area surrounding your tooth.
Your appointment with Dr Elkhatib
A root canal procedure is a complex procedure and Dr Elkhatib is extremely experienced at performing this treatment. To start he will give you a local anaesthetic to numb the tooth and the area surrounding it. Your tooth will then be isolated from the rest of your teeth and Dr Elkhatib will begin to work on the tooth itself to discover how infected the tooth is. Once access has been gained to the pulp chambers, the dead pulp is removed from the root canals using very small files and a hydrochloric wash. An additional x-ray will be taken at this point.
Once the root canals are cleaned, Dr Elkhatib will place a medication in the tooth to help clear any bacteria. The tooth will then be temporarily filled and another appointment set or if the infection was not too serious, the tooth can be filled permanently and your treatment complete.