Endodontics in Wirral

Why would I need endodontic treatment? 

Underneath the hard, outer layers of white enamel and dentin, is a soft tissue called the pulp, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. It extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root.        

Treatment is required when the pulp in your tooth become inflamed or infected from a variety of causes: deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth. Sometimes, an injury to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess, or worse, increased chances of tooth loss.

Five signs of infection: 

Serious toothache when eating, or when you put pressure on the tooth. Does it hurt when you bite down hard?  

Excessively sensitive teeth. Does the sensitive pain linger after the initial contact with hot or cold foods or drinks? 

Darkening of your tooth. Has your tooth changed colour? This may be a sign of the nerve dying.  

A small bump on the gum, close to the painful tooth. 

Tender or swollen gums around the tooth.

Tooth decay is one of the common reasons for root canal infections. You can keep tooth decay at bay by brushing and flossing regularly, chewing sugar-free gum between meals and reducing the amount of fizzy drinks and sugar in your diet. 

What does treatment involve? 

Root canal treatment removes all of the infection from the tooth, before sealing the tooth to protect the damaged nerve and restore you back to good oral health. When you first come into McGrath Dental & Implant Clinic, we will take an x-ray to assess the status of the infection. Then a local anaesthesia is administered to the area and a piece of rubber material called a ‘rubber dam’ is placed around the tooth the keep it dry and accessible throughout the procedure. 

Once you are fully anaesthetised, your dentist will use specially designed tools to remove the infected tissue. Once it is clear, a rubber compound is used to fill the tooth where the root canal tissue previously was. This is usually finished with a temporary filling. This is the completed stage of your first visit to McGrath Dental. Following this, we create a custom-made crown to fit your tooth and this is fitted at your second visit.

How does endodontic treatment save the tooth?

The Endodontist removes the inflamed or infected pulp, carefully cleans and shapes the inside of the canal, a channel inside the root, then fills and seals the space.

Afterwards, you will return to your Dentist, who may suggest placing a crown or other restoration on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. After restoration, the tooth continues to function like any other tooth.

Without this procedure, the tooth may continue to cause pain, infection and will become unstable, usually resulting in the tooth falling out or requiring extraction. For the greatest chance of success, the problem should be caught and treated early.

At McGrath Dental & Implant Clinic, our focus is your care, so if you are experiencing tooth pain, contact us on 0151 329 2888 today to see if you require root canal treatment.