We are offering the following services to patients:
- Endodontic treatment carried out using a microscope | high magnification loupes
- Single/multiple roots
- Re-endodontic treatment
- We will provide you with a consultation and discussion of your treatment options before starting treatment
Expert help is at hand
Are you worried about root canal treatment? Have you heard horror stories from your friends who have undergone this form of treatment? Or are you just anxious about visiting the dentist?
Don’t worry because help is at hand!
Our dentists are very experienced at providing root canal therapy. This is an intricate procedure which takes a fair bit of time to complete. We will aim to save your infected tooth by cleaning out the bacteria with an innovative technique.
You will get an expert opinion if your infected tooth can be saved by root canal treatment.
Our team will ensure that you are comfortable during the treatment and provide you with adequate local anaesthetic to numb any discomfort.
Feel free to ask us for further information at your consultation and we will be more than happy answer any of your questions.
Why would I need a root canal?
If your tooth needs a root canal, symptoms may include:
- Persistent pain
- Pain that has woken you up during the night
- Severe pain which has now disappeared
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- Broken tooth
- Broken filling
- Swollen face
- Swollen gum
- A gum boil
FAQ about root canal
Root canal treatment is a dental procedure which aims to save an infected tooth. It is a relatively common procedure to have done at the dentist.
A tooth has got a very fine structure within it called the root canal. A root canal contains microscopic blood vessels and nerves within them. When bacteria reach this root canal (maybe because of decay or injury), the structures within become infected. This is one of the causes of extreme dental pain. Very fine specialised instruments are used to clean the root canal and fill it up afterwards. It helps with the dental pain and to prevent any swelling or infection.
It depends on the skill and experience of the dentist and the complexity of the procedure. An x-ray is taken to aid with the diagnosis and your dentist will discuss any factors with you at the consultation stage.
Generally speaking, the further back you go into the mouth the more complex a root canal procedure becomes. This is because molar teeth have multiple canals in them which have the potential to harbour more bacteria.
Your Herts Dentist is very experienced at providing root canal treatment and has a success rate over 95%.
In very complex cases, patients may be referred to a root canal dental specialist (endodontist).
It depends on the tooth. Your dentist is best placed to make that decision. We aim to give painless injections at our practice.
No. We are experienced in providing this procedure to a high standard and part of it involves ensuring the patient is comfortable during the procedure. In the rare instance that a tooth does become painful during the treatment we will carefully assess the situation and do our level best to make it comfortable for you.
Root canal treatment varies between £395-595 (£750m is done by a specialist endodontist). The cost is dependent on the complexity of the case. There is no extra charge for putting a filling on top of the root canal.
You dentist may advise you to take some pain killers because these will help you afterwards. Make sure you eat well and that your blood sugar levels are up.
The majority of patients can use their tooth straight after the procedure without having to think about it. Other patients may experience varying levels of discomfort after the procedure. Take appropriate painkillers to numb the pain. The pain will eventually subside after a day or two, but don’t be alarmed if the tooth is still tender after 2-3 days. You should notice the discomfort subsiding.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen based painkillers are usually good. Sometimes you can take both in combination. Ask your pharmacist for advice. Always read the leaflet and make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.
Leaving an infected tooth will accumulate more bacteria and the tooth will become more rotten. This may lead to your face becoming swollen and infected, possible fever and much more. Also the infection will “eat away” at the bone surrounding the tooth.
So leaving an infected tooth alone is not the best thing to do. A patient can opt to have the tooth removed instead of a root canal, but in our experience it is best to give the tooth a chance of being saved.
On the rare occasion should the treatment not work, there is a second procedure called an apicectomy. This is where a deeper filling is provided. Your dentist will advise.
It is possible to have a “silent” abscess without noticing any pain or infection. Leaving it will make the problem get worse and may warrant tooth removal.
This doesn’t mean the root canal has automatically cleaned itself. Bacteria will be accumulating inside the tooth which may cause the pain to reappear, possible accompanied with a swelling or infection.
No. Antibiotics only help to minimise the risk of swelling and infection. They do not clean the infection within the tooth.I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.