Root Canal Treatment (RCT)

Root canal therapy is a pain-free procedure associated with the removal of the dead or diseased nerve, which runs through the centre of the tooth, and its replacement with restorative material. This treatment generally needs a crown to save the tooth.

Occasionally, the nerve in a tooth will die, which will often cause a severe toothache. The resulting aching/throbbing sensation can make eating and drinking unbearable, and prevent you from doing normal daily tasks. You may require pain medication or even antibiotics (such as Panadol) to settle the discomfort. While this minimizes your symptoms short term, the toothache will be recurring, unless the inflamed and dying nerve is removed. Fortunately, there is a way of removing the nerve which allows the tooth to be saved - this procedure is called Root Canal Treatment.

At Camp Hill Dental, we feel the words 'Root Canal Treatment' generates unnecessary fear and tension. There are plenty of horror stories out there about Root Canal Treatment, all indicating how painful the procedure is. Root Canal Treatment should NOT be painful. Our patients experience no discomfort during this simple, straightforward procedure.

What is Root Canal Treatment (RCT)?

When the nerve in a tooth becomes infected - due to a large cavity, fracture, or trauma - the nerve begins to swell. The infected nerve pushing against the sides of the tooth often causes a severe aching/throbbing sensation, which may wake you in the middle of the night. If the nerve of a tooth becomes infected, there are two options - extraction or root canal treatment.

Root canal therapy is the removal of the nerve (which runs through the root of the tooth) and its replacement with a root canal filling, which prevents the painful infection from spreading and saves the tooth from being extracted.  In order to save the tooth, we can clean out the small space in the centre of the tooth occupied by the nerve, disinfect the space and then seal it. By sealing the tooth we exclude future colonization of this space by bacteria.

RCT & Rotary Endodontic System

We use a rotary endodontic system which achieves improved results.  This system uses specialized rotary motor and mechanically shaped files, to achieve a perfectly tapered shape to the root canal, before filling.  It has many advantages including superior success rate and decreased time in the chair for the patient, when compared to a traditional hand filing technique.  Root canal therapy is performed with local anaesthesia and is therefore a painless procedure.

Using the rotary endodontic system, the procedure will take three visits to complete the root canal therapy.

Crowned Root Filled Tooth has an Increased Success Rate

Teeth after root canal treatment generally require a crown or cap over the tooth, to stop the root canals and bone from being re-infected. A post may also be required to reinforce the tooth and provide structural support. The success rate for a crowned root filled tooth is about 90 to 95%; whereas for an uncrowned root filled tooth the success rate drops to about 35%.

Painkillers & Antibiotics

For a toothache, take painkillers (such as Nurophen, Aspirin, Panadol or Panadeine) and arrange to see a dentist as soon as practical. Sometimes antibiotics may be required to settle the infection. If there is a very large swelling (especially affecting breathing etc.), hospitalisation with intravenous antibiotics may be required.

File present in root canal for measurement	Completed root canal treatment, allows for infected tooth to be saved

Case Indicating RCT: Swelling on Hard Palate with Throbbing Toothache

Patient arrives at Camp Hill Dental with a lump on the hard palate and a throbbing toothache.

1. Apical infection
2. Two teeth that required root canal treatment are encircled.

Digital x-ray revealed two teeth that required root canal treatment, which is indicated by the thickened root canals and apical infections (black circle at top of the tooth).

Files placed in the tooth were used to measure the length of the canal that houses the nerve.

The lump disappeared over a few weeks with antibiotic and disinfectant dressings inside the nerve space of the teeth. The tooth was left for another month and then the final root filling material was placed inside the root canals. The teeth will be finally crowned to provide structural support, to prevent re-infection and for cosmetic reasons (as both teeth had become very dark).

Remember:

A crown should be placed over root canal teeth to ensure the nerve space does not become reinfected from the crown through fracture lines. If a crown is not placed, the long term success rate for root canal therapy can reduce to 35%, from 90 to 95% if crowned.