Root Canal Treatment

Root canal (endodontic) therapy carries a poor reputation. Twenty first century education and technology though has significantly improved outcomes and the experience of having a root canal treatment. Root canal therapy is now a predictable, painless procedure that Dr Mark Peddey and his team perform routinely at Dentistry in Elwood.

When does root canal treatment become necessary?

To save a tooth that has had the pulp (nerves and blood vessels in the centre of the tooth) affected by decay or trauma it will most commonly need root canal treatment. Not all teeth with damaged pulp can be treated with root canal therapy. These teeth will need to be extracted and you are then faced with the problems of a missing tooth.

The process?

The tooth is anaesthetised and the affected tissue is cleaned out along with any infection in the tooth.

The objective of treatment is to clean, and enlarge each canal so that a sealer can be precisely placed into the cleaned canals. Our job is to clean the canals and it is the job of your immune system to clear up any infection that may have spread beyond the canals and into surrounding bone.

Sometimes, we may place you on antibiotics to help your body do that. It is important to complete the course of antibiotics exactly as prescribed by Dr. Mark Peddey.

How many visits are required?

Treatment may take 1, 2 or 3 visits depending upon the number of canals in the tooth and the degree of infection present.

If more than one appointment is needed to complete the therapy, a medication is placed inside the tooth and a temporary filling is placed. If you were in pain prior to the root canal therapy, you should now feel better. If necessary appropriate pain killers can be prescribed.

It is important to remember that once the root canal has been completed, the tooth will require further treatment with a filling and/or a crown. The purpose of this is to restabilise the tooth structure.

What is the probability of success?

Not all endodontic therapy is successful. If the root is fractured, infection is unresponsive to antibiotics or the canals are blocked, success rate drops significantly. If we can foresee possible complications, Dr. Peddey may refer you to a specialist endodontist. Our patients enjoy an extremely high success rate for root canals treated by Dr. Peddey. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need for implants or bridges.