Root Canal Therapy - Endodontic Treatment | Mount Lawley Dental
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Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy saves a natural tooth that becomes infected with bacteria in the root of the tooth.

  • Root Canal Therapy

    Root canal therapy saves a natural tooth that becomes infected with bacteria in the root of the tooth. An infection can produce no symptoms or cause severe pain and swelling that ends in a dental emergency.

    Each year more than 25 million root canal treatments save patients’ teeth from extraction.

    To learn more about root canal therapy or book your appointment, call us on (08) 9227 8777 or book an appointment online.

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    Root Canal Therapy
  • What is a Root Canal?

    Your teeth should last your lifetime, however severe decay or dental trauma, if not treated properly, can risk the longevity of your teeth. Inside the tooth and its roots is dental pulp, which is a soft tissue made up of nerves and blood vessels.

    • Inflammation occurs when bacteria infects the dental pulp
    • The infection needs to be removed from inside the tooth
    • Once removed, a hollow space is left inside each tooth root
    • Root canal filling fills this space, protecting the tooth from future infection
    What is a Root Canal?
  • Needing A Root Canal

    Some teeth that need root canal therapy cause no symptoms. Your dentist can detect some infected teeth when examining your mouth and x-rays. Most teeth that need a root canal demonstrate one or more of the following symptoms:

    • Tooth pain ranging from mild to severe. Severe pain, especially throbbing pain that prevents sleeping, is a strong sign of an infected tooth. However, your tooth might only hurt occasionally or when chewing food. Root canal often begins with mild pain but eventually can progress to severe pain.
    • Swelling associated with a root canal also ranges from mild to severe. You might notice a small bump or pimple on your gum beside a tooth, or you may have sizable swelling in your face or neck. Swelling typically signifies an infection and requires that you contact a dentist as soon as possible.
    • Hot and cold sensitivity: Not all teeth with temperature sensitivity require a root canal. One of the classic signs of needing a root canal is a sensitivity that persists for longer than a few seconds.
    Needing A Root Canal
  • Root canal therapy process

    Modern root canal therapy makes the procedure quicker and easier than most people expect and involves the following steps:

    • Your dentist begins by examining your tooth and takes x-rays
    • After diagnosing the need for treatment, the tooth is numbed with a local anaesthetic
    • A dental dam is placed to isolate the tooth to keep the area free of saliva
    • Your dentist makes a small hole to access the tooth pulp and cleans the roots, removing the pulp
    • A root canal filling is placed inside the roots to seal the tooth and prevent further infection
    • A crown is placed to strengthen and restore the tooth to its natural shape and function

    Got a question? Call our friendly team today.

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    Root canal therapy process
  • Root canal therapy alternatives

    When a tooth needs a root canal, the only alternative dental treatment is to have the tooth removed.

    Root canal therapy cannot save all teeth from extraction. Fortunately, dental implants can offer an excellent solution to replace an extracted tooth.

    Root canal therapy alternatives
  • What sedation options are available?

    We offer several sedation options to ensure you remain comfortable and at ease during treatment.

    • With oral sedation, you swallow a tablet that makes you feel drowsy, but allows you to remain awake and responsive.
    • Happy gas (known as laughing gas or inhalation sedation) administered through a mask placed over your nose can also help to relax you during treatment, and its effects wear off quickly.
    • Intravenous (IV) Sedation (known as sleep dentistry) relaxes you in a semi-conscious state during treatment. You have little if any recollection of the root canal therapy after the procedure. We offer this option at our sister practice, EVP Dental.
    • General Anaesthesia produces an unconscious state during the procedure and is carried out at Southbank Day Surgery.
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    What sedation options are available?

No Gap or $350 Offer

We’d like to welcome you to Mount Lawley Dental with our no-gap* new patient offer (valued at $516).

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Frequently asked questions

Pain, swelling, and temperature sensitivity are strong indicators of needing a root canal. Another common sign is discolouration. This is quite common on front teeth that have received trauma while taking part in sports.

It is important to remember that you can have an infected tooth without any signs or symptoms. This makes regular dental check-ups important. To schedule a consultation, contact us today.

Most root canals are performed to relieve a toothache. So, while the infection may be painful, the treatment aims to remove the cause of pain. Modern root canal techniques and anaesthetics make treatment very much like a traditional dental filling procedure. While your tooth may be sore for a few days following treatment, you’ll be removing the infection that threatens to damage the tooth beyond repair.

Endodontic treatment involves treating teeth with a diseased dental pulp, such as a dental abscess. The infected soft tissue is removed from inside the tooth and replaced with a root canal filling that seals the tooth from future infection.

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