Emergency Root Canal Treatment: What You Should Know

The human body is a masterpiece creation of Mother Nature, and you are the result of hundreds of thousands of generations dating back to the Stone Age Period when Homo Sapiens first walked the planet. You are genetically perfect and can fight off almost any infection or virus and an important tool in the human arsenal is good old pain! When you experience pain, this is to make you aware there is a problem and toothache is one of the worst types of pain. It can be a deep, dull ache and over-the-counter medication just won’t do it.

Internal Damage to the Teeth

Our teeth are incredibly complex, with an inner pulp that is protected by a very hard enamel and nerves run into the tooth pulp, enabling sensation. When this internal pulp becomes infected, this is very painful and a visit to the emergency dentist is strongly advised. If you are worried about finding an emergency clinic, there is an affordable same day emergency dentist in Sydney or in the city where you live who specialises in root canal treatment.

What is Root Canal Treatment?

The root canal contains pulp. If the tooth is under attack from decay, in order to save the tooth, the root canal needs to be expertly cleaned out and the pulp replaced by a special composite material. The process is complex. Dentists have to study for years to be able to carry out root canal treatment, using the latest tools and a special composite material that fills the root canal, saving the integrity of the tooth.

Symptoms that Require Root Canal Treatment

The symptoms that you might need root canal treatment include the following:

• Tooth discolouration

• Gum abscess

• Hot and cold sensitivity

• Swollen gums

• Severe toothache

Does a Gum Abscess Heal on its Own?

Unfortunately, an abscess of the gum will only get worse and the sooner you see an emergency dentist, the better. In the event root canal treatment is recommended, the dentist would schedule the first treatment appointment, while giving you some preparation instructions.

The Root Canal Treatment

Once the dentist is ready, he or she will administer a local anaesthetic to numb the affected area. After that, they will drill into the top of the tooth to create a small hole, through which the infected tooth pulp can be extracted. The root canal is rinsed several times with a special solution to ensure that all pulp is removed, then the inner canal is cleaned, ready for a composite filling. A temporary crown is fitted until the permanent one is ready, which won’t take longer than a few days and after that, your root canal treatment is complete.

Why is Root Canal Treatment Important?

This treatment is all about saving teeth that would otherwise have to be extracted, due to an inner infection and while you might think losing a single tooth isn’t critical, this would cause the teeth either side to loosen, as essential support is no longer there.

Aside from having an oral examination every 6 months, if you suffer any pain or discomfort with your teeth and gums, make an appointment to see your local dentist, who can investigate and diagnose the problem and carry out effective treatment.