Root Canal Treatment in Melton Mowbray: What Actually Happens

Root canal treatment has a reputation it doesn’t really deserve. Mention it and most people wince. In reality, the pain people associate with it usually comes from the infection, not the treatment. The procedure itself is done under local anaesthetic and is aimed at getting you out of pain and keeping your natural tooth.

Here’s what’s involved, step by step, so you know what to expect before you come in.

What is Root Canal Treatment?

Inside every tooth is a soft core called the pulp. It contains nerves and blood vessels, and it runs down through narrow channels in the roots. These are the root canals.

If bacteria get into the pulp, it can become infected. Root canal treatment removes that infected tissue, cleans the inside of the tooth and seals it, so the infection can’t come back and the tooth can stay in your mouth.

Why Does The Pulp Get Infected?

The most common causes are:

• Deep decay that’s reached the centre of the tooth
• A crack or chip that lets bacteria in
• A large or old filling that’s started to leak
• A knock or injury to the tooth, sometimes years earlier
• Gum disease that has reached the root

Signs You Might Need a Root Canal

Not every infected tooth hurts, which is why some infections are only picked up on an X-ray at a check-up. When there are symptoms, they tend to include:

• Toothache that throbs, lingers or wakes you at night
• Pain when you bite down or chew
• Sensitivity to hot or cold that stays long after the drink has gone
• A tooth that has gone darker than the ones around it
• Swelling in the gum, or a small spot on the gum that weeps

If you’ve got any of these, it’s worth booking in sooner rather than later. An infection that’s left can spread and form an abscess, and the longer it goes on, the harder the tooth is to save.

What Happens During Treatment

Root canal treatment usually takes two or more appointments, each lasting an hour or two.

1. Assessment. We’ll examine the tooth and take X-rays to see the shape of the roots and how far the infection has spread. For more complex cases, our CBCT scanner gives a 3D view of the tooth and surrounding bone, which helps us plan the treatment accurately.
2. Numbing the area. You’ll have a local anaesthetic, so you’ll be awake but won’t feel pain. Most patients say it feels much like having a filling.
3. Removing the infection. We make a small opening in the top of the tooth and carefully remove the infected pulp from the root canals.
4. Cleaning and shaping. The canals are cleaned, disinfected and shaped so they can be filled properly. If the treatment is spread over more than one visit, we’ll place a temporary filling in between.
5. Filling and sealing. Once the tooth is clean and settled, the canals are filled and sealed to stop bacteria getting back in.

Will I Need a Crown Afterwards?

Often, yes, particularly on back teeth. A tooth that’s had root canal treatment can become more brittle over time, especially if a lot of it was lost to decay. A crown covers and protects it, so it can keep doing its job when you chew. We’ll talk you through whether a crown is right for your tooth once the root canal is finished.

Recovery

The numbness wears off after a few hours. It’s normal for the tooth and surrounding gum to feel tender for a few days, and most people manage this with paracetamol or ibuprofen. Any soreness usually settles within a couple of weeks.

Until your permanent filling or crown is in place, try to chew on the other side and avoid anything very hard or sticky.

If pain gets worse rather than better, or you notice new swelling, give us a call.

What Are The Alternatives?

The main alternative to root canal treatment is taking the tooth out. That removes the infection, but it leaves a gap, and a missing tooth causes its own problems over time as neighbouring teeth drift and the bone shrinks. Replacing it afterwards with a dental implant or bridge is possible, but it’s a bigger undertaking than keeping the tooth you already have.

Where a tooth can be saved, root canal treatment is usually the better option. Where it can’t, we’ll be honest with you about that and talk you through your options.

Root Canal Treatment in Melton Mowbray

If you’ve got toothache or think a tooth might be infected, don’t wait for it to get worse. We’ll find the cause and explain your options clearly before anything goes ahead.

Call us on 01664 562 092 or book online.