When to get a root canal in Edinburgh
Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, treats the inside of the tooth. You may need a root canal from a cracked, decayed or heavily restored tooth. For instance, if you have a deep cavity, or if you have issues with a filling, you may need a root canal as a treatment. Some symptoms associated with root canals are:
- Sharp pain while eating
- Pimples showing on gums
- Cracked or chipped tooth
- Lingering sensitivity to hot and cold
- Tender or swollen gums
- Darkening or deep decay around the gums
Here at Edinburgh Endodontist, we devote our entire expertise in root canal and endodontic treatments because we believe saving teeth matters.
What is root canal treatment?
When searching for a root canal in Edinburgh, you might be wondering what exactly you are looking to get done. Root canal treatment, in essence, is to eliminate bacteria from the infected root canal and to prevent reinfection, thereby saving your natural tooth. Underneath the white enamel and inside the hard layer of dentin lies the soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. The pulp is important during growth and development of teeth. The pulp continues to support the tooth and provide immune response and defence to the tooth even after it is fully grown. Root canal treatment is the removal of the infected pulp, the cleaning and disinfection of the inside of the tooth, and the filling and sealing of the area preventing reinfection.
How did the infection get there?
You might be wondering how the infection got there in the first place. The most common way for bacteria to infect the pulp is tooth decay. Tooth decay is a result of a build-up of acids by sugar consuming bacteria. High sugar in diet and ineffective cleaning could lead to cavities. Cavities are small holes in the tooth’s enamel. If left unchecked, a cavity can get bigger and deeper, eating its way through the dentin and into the pulp chamber. Cavities are just one way you might develop an infection in the root canal, but there are others. Any instance where the pulp chamber is exposed is risking a bacterial infection.
Do root canals hurt?
Infected root canals undoubtedly hurt more than the treatment. When there is an infection in the pulp, this causes inflammation. Because this is happening inside the tooth, this causes pressure to build and swell against the surrounding soft tissue, which can be quite painful. The root canal treatment, however, is no sorer than any other standard dental procedure like fillings and wisdom teeth removal. Patients will usually be given local anaesthesia for the procedure. After the procedure is complete, there is some mild discomfort in the patient’s root canal and gum, either being numb or sore.
Getting a root canal in Edinburgh does not have to be a negative experience. Although it is understandable to feel anxious about getting any procedure for your teeth, we would like to remind you why root canals are essential. By getting the root canal treatment you are proactively saving your natural smile, you are allowing yourself to eat the foods you enjoy, and you are actually limiting the need for ongoing dental work from avoiding tooth replacement.
So please don’t delay any longer, and visit us at the Edinburgh Endodontist to relieve your dental pain and save that natural smile.