October 17th, 2010
Dental infections affect the parts of the tooth right near their centre in the root. This makes them very difficult to treat as it is very hard to get to that part of the tooth. That means that in some cases, where the infection has really taken hold, there are only two real options for treatment. One is a complete extraction, removing the tooth and with it the infection. The other is a root canal treatment, which has a fearsome reputation but actually brings an end to pain and enables the patient to keep their tooth.
The root canal treatment takes place under an anaesthetic, which means that it should be no more painful than a regular filling. The dentist drills a hole through the tooth into the root of the tooth (the root canal) and uses this access to treat the infection inside. The dentist will then fill the cavity with medicine to remove any residual traces of the infection before filling the hole they have created and finally capping the tooth with a dental crown.
Obviously, the presence of the drill makes some people afraid and cautious about the root canal procedure but you can rest assured that the pain and unpleasantness of the infection is much worse. Dental infections can be excruciating and a root canal from a City of London dentist could be the only way to safely bring that pain to an end.
Dental infections start when plaque and bacteria erode the protective layer of tooth enamel that coast the tooth. The bacteria is then able to penetrate to the softer more sensitive inner part of the tooth that contains the dental nerve. Then infection will set about destroying the dental nerve which will ultimately result in the death of the tooth so it is essential you receive treatment before it gets to this stage.
September 23rd, 2010
The root canal treatment has a fearsome reputation but is this really justified and what is the actual truth behind this infamous dental procedure? Well, to be honest, the root canal gets a slightly raw deal. When performed with an anaesthetic, there is no real reason why the treatment should be any more painful than a filling or routine check up and with new dental technology and implements available to dentists, the treatment is all the time becoming less traumatic and more comfortable for the patient.
Furthermore, few people ever consider the benefits the procedure can have for your dental health. Far from being the cause of pain, a root canal is often the solution. It is carried out when the central part of the tooth, where the nerve is located, is infected and under attack. This can be excruciatingly painful but will eventually stop when the dental nerve is destroyed. This might bring an end to your pain but it will almost certainly bring an end to your tooth, which will fall out. The aim of the root canal is to prevent this happening by removing the infection before it can destroy the root.
To do this, your City of London dentist will need to drill a hole down into the root and remove the infected material manually. When the material is removed the cavity will then be filled with medicine to destroy any residual infection and then sealed with a filling or even a dental crown. This will protect the tooth from any further problems and also preserve its functionality.
Once the infection has been removed, the tooth will hopefully be safe from any further damage and the patient free to carry on their life as normal without any pain or dental complication.
August 22nd, 2010
Dental pain caused by an infected tooth can be very unpleasant and at times excruciating. This is because dental infections happen when the tough outer part of the teeth is broken down exposing the very sensitive inner part of the tooth, which contains the dental nerve. This nerve will then be attacked by bacteria and infected matter, causing the sensation of pain.
Once a tooth is infected there are several ways of treating it depending on the severity of the infection. If the infection is caught and treated early it may be possible to treat with a course of antibiotics. At the other end of the scale, if the infection is so serious it can not be treated effectively, your City of London dentist may need to remove the tooth altogether.
However, in most cases this is not the case and the tooth can still be treated effectively using a root canal treatment. This involves the dentist drilling down into the heart of the tooth and removing any infected material. They will then clean the cavity before filling it and sealing the tooth with a dental crown. This will protect both the functionality and aesthetic quality of the tooth.
Root canal treatments have a very fearsome reputation, largely because of the pain associated with dental infections and because of the use of the dentists’ drill. In reality, the procedure brings an end to the horrible pain of dental infection and protects the teeth from further damage. It would seem that the root canal gets a slightly harsh treatment in the public consciousness and if carried out properly should be no more painful than a filling or any other standard dental procedure.
August 2nd, 2010
Sounds awful doesn’t it; A Root Canal. In times past it wasn’t even possible in many places, and if you could get one it was the most painful experience in most people`s life. Today is just a simple operation done under a painless local anaesthetic, you won`t even feel the needle going in your gums to deaden the tooth says a Central London dentist. Infections are caused by a lax oral hygiene routine or even in some cases a crack that allows bacteria to seep into the inner chamber of a tooth. Once in there bacteria will thrive and infect the tooth so badly that the pain is excruciating. Antibiotics will bring infections down and then a tooth can be extracted in most cases. However, to lose a tooth early isn’t a good thing and fixing the problem further can be very expensive. A root canal will in most cases fix the problem for good. The surgeon will drill out the inner enamel of the tooth; this leaves a hollow tooth that exposes the nerve and the inner chamber. The chamber is cleaned up of any infection and then it is cleaned further using an intense light source, this ensures that no bacteria is left to breed again. The hole is then sprayed with a coating of an anti-bacterial liquid and filled back up using a special mix of porcelain to compensate for the missing enamel. This is very hard wearing and acts better than natural enamel. That usually solves the problem and saves the tooth, so don`t be put off.
July 15th, 2010
There are few dental treatments that cause as much fear and anxiety as the root canal treatment. Everybody has probably heard the tales about the dentist’s drill and the excruciating pain, but just what is the truth behind this much-feared procedure?
In reality, using anaesthetic and modern treatment methods there really is no reason a root canal should be any more painful than having a filling and if anything could be responsible for bringing an end to the pain of dental infection. Root canals are needed when dental decay has led to the formation of a dental infection in the central part of the tooth. This can be very painful because this is where the very sensitive dental nerve is located.
If this infection is not treated in time it could lead to even more extreme pain, the spread of the infection and the loss of the tooth. With a root canal, the dentist aims to make a hole to gain access to the root part of the tooth. This is accomplished either using a drill or in modern times even with a dental laser. Once inside the root, the City of London dentist will attempt to remove all the infected matter from inside the tooth. They will then fill the cavity with medicine and seal it using filling material and then possibly secure the tooth with a dental crown.
This will kill the infection and ultimately preserve the tooth, even if the dental nerve has for the most part been destroyed. The root canal has a bad reputation but if you’ve ever suffered from severe toothache and had the pain relieved by a root canal you will know this reputation is unjustified.
June 24th, 2010
If you’ve heard of a root canal procedure, the chances are that you’ve probably heard the horror stories about how painful they are and want to avoid them at all cost. There is an element of truth in this but the reality is that it is not the root canal treatment that causes the pain but the infection that is removed during the treatment. The dreaded root canal actually brings an end to the pain of dental infection and could be very much needed if you’re in great pain.
Infections happen in the teeth when the protective layer of enamel is breached and bacteria is allowed to penetrate to the heart of the tooth. This then attacks the pulp and dental nerve causing great pain and ultimately destroying it, causing the tooth to die and fall out. This is obviously not a very pleasant experience and needs to be treated as soon as possible. If the infection is caught soon enough it may be treatable with antibiotics but in some cases the infection is too deep rooted and needs to be treated with a root canal.
This involves the dentist drilling down into the root of the tooth and removing the infection by hand. They will then fill the cavity with medicine to remove any residual traces of the infection before filling the cavity and usually covering the tooth with a dental crown. This will protect the tooth from further infection.
Your City of London dentist will use an anaesthetic during the operation so there is no real need for the surgery to be any more painful than any other dental treatment. If you think you may be suffering from an infection you need to see a dentist as soon as possible as the sooner you receive treatment the less pain you will suffer and the easier treatment will be.
December 16th, 2009
A root canal treatment, also known as endodontics, is a procedure specifically designed to deal with infected matter or decay located in the centre of the tooth. To fully understand the procedure you must first know that the teeth are made of several layers of different material. On the outside is the tooth enamel, the strong protective layer which surrounds the softer dentine on the inside, supporting the structure. Inside that is the soft tissue centre of the tooth containing the nerve.
The root canal of the tooth is the pulpy soft tissue that runs down from the tooth into the jawbone and gum securing the tooth. The pulp contains nerve endings and blood vessels that form the living part of the tooth. When tooth decay happens, this pulpy centre and root canal can become infected spreading down into the gum and bone. Needless to say this can be very painful as the infection is directly attacking the nerve. This infection can also spread to the gums and can cause a painful swelling known as a tooth abscess.
The root canal treatment is designed to save the tooth and alleviate pain by preventing the spread of infection and ultimately removing it. To do this the dentist will need to drill down through the tooth to get to the infected area. In the hands of a well-trained dentist and with the proper anaesthetic this process should be relatively painless and no more painful than having a regular filling. Once the infection is removed the cavity is filled and then sealed with a dental crown to prevent further infection.
Root canal treatments have a bad reputation as being painful and unpleasant but the reality is quite different. A root canal treatment from a City of London dentist could actually prevent a lot of pain and stop the spread of dangerous infections in the mouth.
November 11th, 2009
Of all the most feared dental procedures none is so iconic as the root canal. The obvious reason behind this is the presence of the dentist’s drill. But is the root canal treatment really that bad? Well, put simply, not really. In fact root canal treatments are often some of the most important procedures in dentistry, that can make the difference between keeping and losing a tooth. Ask anybody who has suffered the pain of a toothache or tooth abscess and been given some relief by a root canal and they would probably tell you the same.
A dentist will use a root canal when a cavity has extended to the point it has broken through to the root of the tooth. This then becomes infected and the infection gradually eats away the pulp and attacks the nerve. These nerves can be incredibly sensitive and the source of some of the nastiest toothaches. The dentist needs to get inside the tooth and remove all the infected material and depending on the state of the nerve, possibly remove that as well. If the infection has killed the root, the tooth may no longer hurt but the infection is still capable of spreading to other teeth and even entering the bloodstream.
The dentist uses the famous drill to penetrate to the root of the tooth. They will then extract any infected mater before filling the cavity with medicine to destroy any residual infection. The root canal will then be filled and possibly crowned to preserve the structural integrity of the tooth. The whole of the root canal will take place under a local anaesthetic so there is no reason why it should be any more painful than any other dental procedure.
After the surgery the patient may feel some numbness or pain for a few days but this will usually pass and can be controlled with over-the-counter pain relief. The bad reputation of a root canal is perhaps more associated with the pain that precedes it than the operation itself. A root canal could bring an end to some very unpleasant sensations and still leave you with your own tooth at the end of it. Credit where credit is due.
If you are suffering from a toothache, or have been recently, make an appointment with a London dentist as soon as possible and a root canal could offer you the relief you’ve been looking for.
October 13th, 2009
One dental procedure conjures up fear more than all the others. The dreaded root canal treatment, with its association with drills, is one of the most iconic of the nasty dental surgeries. However, the reality is slightly different. A root canal treatment is actually one of the most useful dental procedures that can make the difference between keeping a tooth and losing it. A successful treatment can alleviate pain and significantly reduce the need for further expensive treatment.
When a tooth becomes infected it is attacked by the bacteria and begins to die. This can be very painful as the infection occurs in the sensitive centre of the tooth, where all the nerve endings are located. A root canal will remove all the infected pulp, before filling the cavity with medicine and sealing it so no further infection can occur. This way, you may loose the sensitivity of the tooth, but the pain and infection will be gone, and you still have your original tooth.
The procedure will be carried out under anaesthetic, so there is no reason why a root canal should be any more painful than a regular filling. Although the dentist may need to use the drill, it really is only the sound and image that terrifies patients. The dentist will even numb the area with gel before he injects the anaesthetic.
Once the cavity has been filled, a crown or veneer is usually placed over the top to preserve the integrity of the tooth. Root canals are often the only option available to dentists to save the tooth. If the tooth is not treated or removed, the infection can quickly spread to other teeth in the mouth and can even infiltrate the bloodstream causing further medical problems, including heart disease.
As you can see, far from being feared, a root canal can be one of the most beneficial dental treatments. For anyone who has experienced the searing pain of an infected tooth, a root canal can be the blessing that removes the pain. If you think you have an infected tooth, even if the pain appears to have gone away, make an appointment with a London dentist who will be able to fully examine your teeth for infections and abscesses.
September 23rd, 2009
Root canal treatments are necessary when tooth decay has killed or is likely to kill a tooth. The procedure involves removing the pulp from the centre of a tooth. This prevents painful infections from happening in the tooth which could also spread to other teeth. Root canals are also effective for treating infections that have developed into abscesses.
Root canal treatments have a reputation as being one of the nastiest and most painful procedures you can have performed at the dentist, but this is not necessarily the case. Often a root canal is little more than a filling and the pain is minimal. The dentist will do all they can to make the procedure as painless as possible.
Before the procedure the dentist will numb the gums with a jelly like substance. They will then further numb the gums, teeth and tongue using a local anaesthetic. The decaying pulp will then be removed, often using a drill. This is the aspect of the process that causes nightmares but it is really a relatively simple procedure. Once a cavity is created in the pulp of the tooth it is filled with medicine and filling material and finally a root canal filling. A permanent filling or crown may be needed to keep the root canal filling in place permanently. Patients may experience numbness or pain for one or two days after the root canal but this can be treated with a variety of painkillers.
Root canals may have a bad reputation but there are very valuable and necessary parts of dental surgery. Bacteria from infected teeth can enter the bloodstream and cause infections in other parts of the body. If a tooth is infected a root canal will need to be performed as soon as possible to limit the spread of infection. Root canals also eliminate the need to completely remove teeth and as such are also useful cosmetic procedures.
If you are suffering pain in one or more of your teeth, have a tooth abscess or think you may need a root canal treatment, don’t let fear put you off. You need to make an appointment to see a London dentist as soon as possible to prevent the spread of infection and save your tooth.