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What is endodontic treatment?

Endodontic – or root canal – treatment is undertaken to preserve a tooth that is significantly decayed. In such a case, getting fillings will not serve to fully treat the decay and more advanced treatment is necessary to save the tooth.

An Endodontist is a specialist dentist who has undergone a minimum of 2 years of extra postgraduate training. Their additional training focuses on diagnosing tooth pain, root canal treatment and other procedures relating to the interior of the tooth.

Your general dentist often refers patients for consultation when the diagnosis is complicated or when treatment is more difficult than usual. Aside from providing treatment, the role of an Endodontist is also to educate. Patients must understand why they require treatment, what the treatment involves and what they can do to ensure the best possible outcome.

Root Canal - Endodontics - Northumberland Dental Care

Can my general dentist do endodontic treatments?

General dentists can perform root canal procedure, but often they refer patients needing endodontic treatment to a Specialist Endodontist when a case is complex. Your Endodontist will then work in collaboration with your general dentist to complete your treatment plan.

Why have endodontic treatment?

Across the dental profession, the most crucial goal is to maintain the health and integrity of patients’ oral health through prevention and, when necessary, reconstructive treatment. Throughout the last decade, dentistry witnessed a biomechanical revolution in endodontics. This revolution provided the public with treatment options never before available to them.

Endodontic treatment and retreatment, as well as diagnosis and endodontic surgery, achieve new levels of success and predictability. The development of nickel-titanium files, coupled with improvements in devices, such as the apex locator and the incorporation of microscopy and microsurgical instruments, created a whole new paradigm in treatment. These advances place endodontic care at the forefront as the primary treatment of choice for tooth retention when the dental pulp is compromised or when the removal of the dental pulp would facilitate other reconstructive dental treatment.

Root Canal - Endodontics - Northumberland Dental Care

What are the signs of needing endodontic treatment?

Signs to look for include pain, prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold, tenderness to touch and chewing, discolouration of the tooth, and swelling, drainage and tenderness in the lymph nodes as well as nearby bone and gingival tissues. Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms.

Why are endodontics needed?

The pulp in your canal gives your tooth the nourishment it needs and also is full of nerve endings. If this pulp becomes infected, root canal treatment is necessary to ensure you do not experience tooth loss.

Can all teeth be treated by an Endodontist?

An Endodontist can treat most teeth. On occasion, a tooth can’t be restored due to the accessibility of the root canal, fractures, or that the tooth doesn’t have adequate bone support. However, advances in endodontics are making it possible to save teeth that even a few years ago would have been lost.

What happens during endodontic treatment?

During root canal treatment, we firstly administer a local anaesthetic. We then open up the tooth in question at the crown, take away the infected pulp and then clean and shape the canals. Then we fill the canal system with gutta percha, a material which seals the canal to avoid re-infection. Finally, the crown is filled with a tooth-coloured material to ensure the tooth does not look out place in your mouth.

Root canal treatment can either be done over the course of one or two visits, depending on the treatment needed.

Endodontics Procedure - Step 1
Endodontics Procedure - Step 2
Endodontics Procedure - Step 3
Endodontics Procedure - Step 4
Endodontics Procedure - Step 5

What happens after the treatment?

Very occasionally, an infection may persist after root canal treatment. In such a case we will do everything possible to save the tooth, but if you are experiencing any pain or discomfort after the treatment, let us know as soon as possible.

Looking to learn more about Endodontics?

Our Endodontist, Dr Raphael Bellamy is a member of the American Association of Endodontics. Their website hosts a incredible pool of information around endodontic treatments: https://www.aae.org/

Is Endodontics covered under Dental Insurance?

It can, but depends on your own dental insurance policy. For more information on your policy, please contact your insurance provider.

Dr Raphael Bellamy does with with most major dental insurances providers, but does not partake in the direct pay options. 

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