Welcome to the Parramatta Dental Studio located at Shop 3, 75 Phillip Street, Parramatta (Entry via Horwood Place). Remember we also have a clinic at Shop 6, 51 John Street, Cabramatta (Entry via Denton Lane).
Amongst many other treatments, We offer Dental Root Canal treatments. We will look after you in the best way that we can and over the coming weeks/months we will put up articles that will help show you how to look after your teeth.
Our philosophy is that preventative action is the best treatment. If our articles help keep your teeth healthy then we are doing our job.
Deep decay to the nerve of the tooth
At Parramatta Dental Studio we endeavour to retain an individual’s natural dentition wherever possible. There are many factors to consider before root canal therapy or nerve treatment is chosen to be an integral part of the final treatment plan.
The reason an individual may need root canal therapy or nerve treatment on one or more of their teeth is because the nerve inside the tooth has become infected or inflamed. There are many reasons that this inflammation can develop and some of these include:
-Trauma or a knock to the tooth can cause the nerve inside to die
-Dental decay that is deep causing bacteria to access and cause inflammation in the nerve
-A broken or cracked tooth or a broken or leaky filling in a tooth
-Attrition or tooth wear causing the nerve to be exposed and the tooth to be very sensitive
Most people requiring root canal or nerve treatment can present with the following signs or symptoms:
-Sensitivity or pain to hot or cold foods and drinks that lingers for several minutes, pain at night time or without an obvious stimulus, tenderness when chewing or upon tapping on the tooth, swelling or “a pimple on the gum”, darkening of the tooth compared to the other teeth and some mobility, some individuals may report extremely severe pain because of an abscess. X-rays and pulp testing will also give the dentist indicators that the nerve is inflamed or non-vital.
Once the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed or necrotic the only solutions are extraction or root canal therapy / nerve treatment. As previously mentioned the dedicated dentists of this practice firmly believe that retaining a person’s natural teeth is a great treatment option wherever possible. The dentist will decide the strategic importance of the tooth by looking at its position and how strong the tooth and supporting structures are as well as decide whether it is appropriate to invest both time and money to save the tooth.
Root canal therapy is a routine dental procedure that allows relief from pain and discomfort without the loss of a tooth. Each tooth has a different number of canals, generally front teeth have one or two canals and back teeth can have three or four canals. The process can involve several appointments where a hole is drilled into the tooth to access the nerve canals, the nerve is cleaned out with some dental files and a form of medication is placed into the chamber and the tooth is allowed to settle. A subsequent appointment is then made where the nerve space is then filled with an inert material called gutta percha and then a filling is placed back into the tooth. In many situations a crown or cap is required to provide protection to the tooth as teeth with root canal treatment can involve a large filling.
Saving a tooth through root canal therapy or nerve treatment can come with a cost but the benefit is that you would always have a tooth to chew on and no artificial tooth will ever feel as natural as your own tooth. It must also be considered that removing a tooth can be associated with a higher cost to replace the missing tooth and have dental effects as well when compared with saving the tooth through root canal therapy. An edentulous space or gap will affect the relationship of other teeth in the mouth, they can drift into the space and the opposing tooth may also erupt into the space. A consultation with our friendly dentists will help you to clarify any questions relating to a tooth that may require root canal therapy. As mentioned the risks, benefits and alternative treatment options will be considered before any treatment plan is finalised. For any further queries please do not hesitate to contact one of our friendly staff who will do their best to assist you with your enquiry.
lower premolar with dental infection