Root canal treatment Also called endodontic treatment — the careful cleaning, disinfection and sealing of the root canal system inside your tooth. It is needed when the nerve and blood supply inside a tooth, the pulp, becomes infected through decay, a deep filling, a crack or an injury. Treating the infection relieves the pain and lets you keep a tooth that would otherwise have to be taken out. This leaflet explains what happens before, during and after your treatment. Please read it before your appointment. INFECTED CLEANED SEALED If you have any questions before your appointment, please telephone 0118 959 0222 39 London Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5BL · www.kendrickdental.co.uk
SECTION ONE Your tooth and the treatment Why treatment is needed Once the pulp is infected it cannot heal itself. The infection spreads down the canals and collects at the root tip as an abscess, causing anything from a dull ache to severe pain, tenderness on biting and swelling. Early on there may be no pain at all and the tooth may simply darken. Left untreated, the tooth will need to be taken out. Does it hurt? No. The tooth is fully numbed, so treatment should feel no different to an ordinary filling. It may be tender for a few days afterwards. What it involves A skilled and time-consuming procedure, usually completed in one long visit or two shorter ones. The infected pulp is removed, the canals are cleaned, shaped and disinfected, then sealed to keep infection out. A temporary filling protects the tooth in between. How successful is it? Usually very successful, and a well-restored tooth can last many years. The stages of treatment 1. Infected tooth decay reaches the pulp and an abscess forms 2. Cleaned and shaped infection removed, canals disinfected 3. Root filling placed canals sealed to keep infection out 4. Tooth restored permanent filling, onlay or crown fitted Enamel Dentine Pulp chamber Jawbone Root canal Abscess nerve and blood supply infection at the root tip Page 2 Root canal treatment
SECTION TWO Before and during your appointment Allow enough time Please allow approximately 2 hours for each appointment. Only local anaesthetic is used, so most people drive home or return to work straight afterwards. Eat beforehand Have a normal meal before you come — your mouth will be numb for two to three hours afterwards. Avoid alcohol beforehand. Medicines and painkillers Take all of your usual medicines as normal, including blood thinners, unless we have specifically advised otherwise. If the tooth aches, take paracetamol or ibuprofen about an hour before your appointment. Finish any antibiotics we have prescribed and bring a list of your medicines. Tell us of any change in your health, new medication, pregnancy or allergies. Numbing and the rubber dam The tooth is numbed with local anaesthetic, then a soft sheet called a rubber dam is fitted around it. This keeps the tooth clean and dry and stops the cleaning solutions reaching the rest of your mouth. What you will notice You will hear suction and small instruments, and may notice the taste of the disinfecting solution. X-rays are taken during treatment to measure the canals. Raise your hand at any point and we will stop straight away. One visit or two Straightforward cases are often finished in one visit. Where there is more infection, a medicated dressing is left under a temporary filling for two to four weeks before the root filling is completed. Please tell us if you Feel anxious — we can take breaks and talk it through first. Find it difficult to lie back, or have a sensitive gag reflex. Take blood thinners, bisphosphonates or steroids. • • • • • • Page 3 Root canal treatment
SECTION THREE After your treatment Numbness Your lip, cheek and tongue may stay numb for up to three hours. Avoid hot food and drinks until full feeling returns, and take care not to bite or chew the soft tissues by accident. Tenderness and pain relief It is normal for the tooth to feel tender, bruised or slightly high for a few days, especially on biting. Paracetamol and ibuprofen taken as directed control this well, and discomfort should ease over three to five days. Protect the tooth A root-treated tooth is more brittle than a living one and usually needs a crown or onlay to stop it splitting. Until that is fitted, chew carefully on the other side. Please keep the appointment for the permanent restoration — it is the biggest factor in how long the tooth lasts. Your temporary filling Between visits a temporary filling protects the tooth. It may feel slightly rough or taste unusual at first. Wait an hour before eating on that tooth. Avoid sticky or very hard food on that side. Ring us if it comes out, feels loose, or the tooth becomes sensitive to cold again. Everyday care Care for it exactly like any other tooth. Brush for two minutes twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth daily, keep sugary food and drinks to mealtimes, and attend the check-ups we recommend. Please ring us if you experience Severe pain not controlled by your painkillers, or pain worsening after three days. Facial swelling, a raised temperature, or feeling generally unwell. Difficulty swallowing or breathing — telephone us at once, or call 999. A temporary filling that has come out, or a tooth that has fractured. • • • • • • • 39 London Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5BL · T. 0118 959 0222 E. reception@kendrickdental.co.uk · www.kendrickdental.co.uk
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