The thought of visiting the dentist for a root canal can be intimidating, often drawing up images of painful and expensive treatments. However, a root canal may be the most appropriate avenue to save decayed or infected teeth. Marsfield Dental Care provides root canal therapy treatment in Sydney.
Risks and consequences may apply to root canal therapy and it is best that you come and have your teeth assessed so that the risks, consequences and benefits of treatment can be informed to you in-person. A second opinion may be recommended when considering complex treatment
Sometimes a simple filling isn’t enough to stop tooth decay and the spread of infection. When decay and bacteria have invaded the pulp of the tooth (the part that keeps your teeth alive), this can lead to a bad toothache. The infection can even spread to the surrounding bone, causing extreme discomfort when biting down. At this stage, you may be suffering from what we call apical periodontitis (infection of the tissue surrounding the tooth).
When you want to address the pain, but you don’t want the infected tooth extracted, root canal therapy (or “endodontic treatment”) might be the best option for you.
Many of our Sydney patients avoid or delay dental treatments, but ignoring the problem usually only intensifies both the pain and the decay of the tooth. Rest assured that we do everything we can to make root canal therapy at Marsfield Dental Care as comfortable as possible.
To ensure you can be treated without delay, it’s important to know the signs of decaying teeth. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, book an appointment with us at your earliest convenience:
We have the experience to perform root canal therapy as part of our general dentistry treatments at Marsfield Dental Care. Our friendly team provides an honest, efficient and effective service to make the root canal process as straightforward and comfortable for you as we can.
The process involves the following steps:
Following root canal therapy, you may experience mild pain for a few days, since it’s a major procedure that can irritate surrounding gums and nerves. Avoid chewing hard foods during this time, and you may be able to use over-the-counter pain killers if the sensitivity is particularly bad.
At Marsfield Dental Care in Sydney, we use modern treatments to maximise comfort and efficiency for our patients. When you need root canal treatment in Sydney, our welcoming dentists can put you at ease and talk you through the entire process – helping to soothe the nerves of even anxious patients.
We’ll make sure you’re relaxed in our care, and will take the time to answer any questions you have, to de-bunk any scary myths before starting the therapy. We’re sympathetic to the needs of each individual patient, with the expertise to restore your tooth back to its original function.
For root canal dentistry in Macquarie Park and other local Sydney suburbs, call Marsfield Dental Care on (02) 9887 1961 or contact us online to discuss your symptoms and book an appointment at your convenience.
If you’re looking for a dentist in Sydney who takes genuine care in their work and the well-being of his or her patients, call today and let Dr Choo, Dr Ip and their friendly staff look after you, your family and those pearly whites!
Book a consultation at our Marsfield Dental Clinic or Book Online
Root canal treatment removes infected or damaged pulp, the nerve and blood supply, from inside a tooth, then cleans, shapes and seals the canals.
It is needed when the pulp has become inflamed or infected, usually from deep decay, a crack, repeated dental work, or trauma.
Signs include persistent toothache, lingering sensitivity to heat or cold, pain on biting, a darkening tooth, or a swelling or pimple on the gum. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all and the problem is found on an X-ray.
Root canal treatment in Sydney is generally offered as the alternative to extraction: it keeps a tooth that would otherwise need removing.
The treatment itself is carried out under local anaesthetic, so the procedure should feel similar to having a filling. Much of the pain people associate with root canals comes from the infection beforehand, which the treatment relieves.
Afterwards, mild discomfort or tenderness when biting for a few days is normal and usually responds to over-the-counter pain relief.
Some patients experience more discomfort than others, particularly where there was significant infection or swelling before treatment.
Tell your dentist if you are anxious or have found it hard to get numb in the past, so this can be planned for. Contact the practice if pain worsens after a few days rather than settling.
Most root canals are completed in one or two appointments, depending on the tooth and whether there is active infection.
Front teeth have a single canal and are often simpler; molars have multiple canals and take longer.
Where there is significant infection, the dentist may clean the canals, place a medicated dressing and a temporary filling, then complete the treatment at a second visit once the area has settled.
A further appointment is usually needed afterwards to place a crown. Appointments can run from 45 minutes to over an hour.
Your dentist will explain the likely number of visits after examining the tooth and taking an X-ray.
A root-treated tooth becomes more brittle, because the pulp that supplied it has been removed and because decay or access through the tooth has left less structure behind.
Back teeth in particular take heavy biting forces and can fracture without protection, and a fracture below the gum can mean losing the tooth entirely after the expense of saving it.
A crown covers and binds the remaining tooth structure together. Front teeth with limited damage can sometimes be restored with a filling instead.
Root canal treatment in Sydney is normally quoted together with the crown for this reason.
Your dentist will explain which applies to your tooth and the risk of leaving it unprotected, so you can weigh the cost against the risk.
The main alternative is extraction.
Leaving an infected tooth untreated is not a reasonable option, because the infection does not resolve on its own and can spread, causing swelling and, in serious cases, requiring hospital treatment.
If a tooth is extracted, the gap can be left, or replaced with an implant, a bridge or a partial denture, each of which has its own cost, timeframe and trade-offs.
In some cases the tooth is too badly broken down or cracked for root canal treatment to have a reasonable chance of success, and extraction is the more predictable option.
Your dentist will set out what is realistic for your tooth.
