It is funny how myths can escalate and it is even more prevalent in the world of dentistry, and once a myth has been created, it can be very difficult to dispel. One such treatment that always had the problem as being a bit of a monster is root canal treatment. People in the city of Leeds still believe that this is a truly horrible and frightening thing to have done, and to be fair, historically it could be. The process involves breaking into the tooth to remove the pulp and roots that have been infected by severe tooth decay. This could be very difficult using a traditional drill and sometimes, to ensure that the entire root is removed, it meant cutting through the gum tissue and attacking the tooth from the side. Then once the tooth had been filled, the gums would require stitching- and this was very painful afterwards. Of course, today, this procedure is simple to perform thanks to the use of lasers. But unfortunately, the legacy of the myth remains and it probably will take a long time before people start trusting this treatment.

Tooth decay can strike at any time in Leeds: you are constantly under threat from the dangers that plaque poses- ignore it at your peril because if it is allowed to continue down its savage route, you could end up losing your teeth and getting some hefty dental bills to boot. Shooting pains are a sure sign that you have a problem yet if you catch it early, you can rectify tooth decay with a filling. However, let the problem become more advanced, the decay will infect the pulp and roots of your teeth and you have no other option than to have root canal treatment. On paper, this procedure sounds brutal, but today, laser technology has made this a simple and painless operation. The tooth needs to be cleared inside from infection and the only way to do this is to remove the disease; this involves taking out the pulp and then the removal of the roots. Once done, the tooth can be cleaned and then filled. This treatment won’t save the tooth forever (you may get at least ten years wear from it), you may also require a crown, but it will prevent further infection in the mouth and save you from more sinister attacks, such as those posed by periodontal and gum disease, and abscesses.

From time to time, the enemy that attacks your mouth on a daily basis will make a breakthrough and cause decay in your teeth. If you keep up with your visits to your dentist in the city of Leeds, this problem can be overcome quite easily with a filling and as long as you keep a high level of oral hygiene going, it will never return. But life isn’t so peachy and we often trip up, which is where tooth decay will strike hardest- when you are at your most vulnerable. If the decay is allowed to eat its way inside your tooth, the pulp and roots will become infected and then you are in trouble; this can lead to a tooth abscess (if it hasn’t already) and you may well be in danger of losing your tooth. The only way forward at this point is to have a root canal performed. This treatment has become a relatively easy procedure than what it was, thanks largely to the introduction of laser surgery. The infection in the pulp needs to be removed first in order to get to the infected roots. Once this has been achieved, then the empty shell of the tooth can be disinfected and filled. If the level of decay is bad, then the reconstruction of the tooth may involve the fitting of a crown, but it will save your tooth.