It sounds like a medieval torture, but a root canal is a really painless and efficient way of freeing a tooth of infection. A Leeds Central dentist explains that a root canal is a very special way of saving a tooth that usually would have been lost. It all comes down to infections, which are usually caused by bad bacteria getting into the inner chamber of the tooth. This can be through infected gums or most likely a crack in the tooth itself, once in there the infection tends to keep coming back. Your dentist needs to get right to the centre of the problem, so they will start off with a little gel on the gums to deaden the sensation of the needle for the local anaesthetic. Then they will drill out the centre of the tooth and it will look like you have a hollow tooth, next will come some scraping of the infected area to get out the root of the bacteria build up. Next they will treat the area with an intense light that kills off any bacteria still lurking around. The hole is then filled in with a specially prepared filler, which contains not just a hard material to replace your enamel, but an anti bacterial formula to keep future infections away. The crack will also disappear and you will be able to use the tooth as soon as the soreness wears off in a few days, the important thing is that the tooth will be saved.
Posts Tagged ‘root canal treatment’
Root Canal work isn`t as bad as it sounds, says a Leeds Central dentist
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010Various treatments for tooth abscess at City of Leeds dentist
Friday, May 14th, 2010
When tooth decay occurs and the protective layer of enamel is removed, the sensitive inner part of the tooth containing the dental nerve and root is exposed to the possibility of infection. If infection does take hold in the tooth, the body will naturally respond by producing an excess of white blood cells to fight it. These cells mix with the infected material to produce a substance called pus (also found in blisters and spots), which builds up in an abscess around the root of the tooth.
Tooth abscesses can be extremely painful and sensitive to hot and cold food. They can make your life pretty miserable and prevent even the most simple of everyday activities such as drinking a cup of tea or eating an ice cream. Tooth abscess are also very dangerous because they can rupture, releasing the infected material into other areas of the mouth and even into the bloodstream, which has links with heart disease and other associated health problems.
There are three main ways to treat an abscessed tooth. The first and most simple is a course of antibiotics from your City of Leeds dentist. This will hopefully fight off the infection and remove the abscess, allowing the tooth and bone to recover on their own in time. Some additional protective work may then be required to protect the tooth from further infection.
If antibiotics are unsuccessful or the infection is already too far gone, the dentist may need to drill down into the tooth and physically remove the infection. This is called a root canal treatment and is often much feared, although probably without due cause as it actually brings an end to the pain of an infection.
Lastly, and the worst-case scenario is that the tooth itself is so badly damaged that it needs to be completely removed. This is far from ideal and will require extensive treatment and then possibly a dental replacement such as an implant to restore the appearance of the teeth.
Prevent painful periodontitis at City of Leeds dentist
Thursday, April 29th, 2010
The two most common problems that affect the health of our teeth are tooth decay and gum disease. Tooth decay is when plaque acid has eroded the protective layer of enamel, exposing the more sensitive central part of the tooth to bacteria and infection. This can result in painful and unpleasant complications and expensive root canal and crown treatment. Most early decay is addressed by fillings, which most people will experience during their lifetime.
Gum disease is slightly less obviously a problem than tooth decay but with nearly all of us standing a good chance of having it at some point in out lives it is very worthwhile to recognise the signs and symptoms and know what to do about it. Gum disease in its mild form is called gingivitis and will usually involve a slight inflammation of the gum tissue. This can be quite sensitive but gingivitis is usually easily treated with improved dental hygiene and treatment from a City of Leeds dentist.
However, if the first signs of gingivitis are not picked up by you, and you are missing your six-monthly check ups with your dentist, the problem could become the more serious periodontitis. This is a much more serious form of gum disease that involves severe inflammation, bleeding of the gums and even recession of the gum tissue. Once gum tissue has been destroyed it will not grow back, so it is vital you receive the necessary treatment as soon as possible.
In some serious cases, periodontitis may involve the need for tissue removal, hospitalisation and even extraction. It will also be very painful and require continued treatment with antibiotics. You can prevent periodontits and all gum disease with improved cleaning and more regular visits to your dentist.
Tooth saved by root canal treatment from Central Leeds dentist
Friday, January 15th, 2010
Few dental procedures are as feared as the root canal treatment but this may be a little unfair to a treatment that can signal an end to enormous amounts of pain. When infections occur in the teeth as a result of decay, it may be that initially you feel little or no pain, but as it worsens it can lead to very painful abscesses and even the complete destruction of the dental nerve. In these circumstances, if a root canal procedure is not carried out it may result in the loss of the tooth altogether.
The procedure itself aims to remove all the infected material from the root canal of the tooth. It is a very skilled procedure involving the dentist’s drill and may involve a number of visits to the dentist. Using the drill, the dentist makes a whole into the root of the tooth so that they can remove all the infected material before thoroughly cleaning the cavity and filling it. It may also be necessary to cap the tooth with a dental crown to prevent any further damage.
Root canal treatments are not necessarily painful as they are almost always performed with anaesthetic. The pain associated with a root canal is more often than not the pain caused by the infection that the treatment aims to remove. Root canal treatments at Central Leeds dentists are usually very successful. There is very little chance of the any long-term damage if the infection is removed as soon as possible.
Root canal from City of Leeds dentist saves tooth
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009
Even the very name root canal treatment is enough to cause a shudder of fear in some people. The fearsome reputation enjoyed by the root canal probably has more to do with urban myth and the presence of the dentist’s drill than actual experience. It may not be the most pleasant procedure in the world of dentistry but it can be a vital one and can make the difference between keeping a tooth and losing it.
Root canals are necessary when the chamber at the centre of the tooth has become infected. Teeth are surrounded by a hard coating called enamel, which protects the sensitive centre of the tooth where the nerve is located. Enamel is worn away over time by a bacteria rich substance called plaque. If these holes in the enamel, or cavities, are not filled they will eventually breech the outer surface and allow bacteria to attack the nerve endings and pulp in the tooth’s centre. This can cause very painful toothache and abscesses which may result in surgery and hospitalisation. Infected teeth can easily die and the infection can move on to other teeth and even into the bloodstream. A root canal is a procedure that removes the infected matter form the centre of the tooth and rebuilds it to protect it from further attack.
Signs that a patient may have an infected tooth and need a root canal are extreme pain in the tooth and gums, nausea and fever. A dental examination and x-ray can reveal the exact extent of the damage and allow the dentist to ascertain if a rot canal is necessary. A root canal itself involves making a passage to the centre of the tooth using the drill. The dentist can then use this passage to remove the infected material and fill the hollow with medicine to kill off any residual infection. The hollow is then filled and capped with a crown to prevent further infection.
The whole procedure is usually carried out over two or three appointments under anaesthetic which should limit the pain to little more than any other dental repair. A root canal can bring an end to the incredible pain of a toothache and for that should be regarded with less fear and perhaps a little more respect. If you are suffering in silence with the pain of a toothache, or have been recently, speak to a City of Leeds dentist about root canal treatments.
Avoid painful tooth decay with effective cleaning and visits to Leeds dentist
Sunday, December 6th, 2009
Tooth decay is a degenerative condition that takes place in the oral cavity involving the break down of tooth enamel. The destruction of this enamel leads to holes, known commonly as dental cavities, which can lead to more serious dental concerns like infections, abscesses and even tooth loss.
Tooth decay is caused by a build up of a filmy, sticky substance called plaque. When combined with the millions of bacteria that live in the mouth, plaque releases acids which erode tooth enamel causing cavities. Plaque can be removed by effective brushing and flossing, but if left it will transform into a harder substance called tartar. Tartar is impossible to remove with normal cleaning and needs to be removed by dentist using a process called scaling.
Tooth decay is not only increased by poor standards of oral hygiene. Maintaining a healthy diet and eating and drinking food low in sugar can help to keep decay to a minimum. Sugary foods increase the production of plaque acid that is the main cause of decay.
Tooth decay can be treated at several stages depending on the seriousness. Mild decay can be treated by increasing cleaning and oral hygiene. Larger cavities will need to be repaired with a dental filling. This is when the dentist removes any decaying enamel and uses a composite resin to fill the cavity. The resin is then set hard to protect the enamel from any further erosion. Large cavities are sometimes filled with ceramic inlays for an extra degree of structural protection.
If tooth decay has occurred to the point that the centre of the tooth is infected, a dentist will need to perform a root canal procedure. This involves drilling a hole into the tooth to allow the dentist to remove the infected material. Once the centre of the tooth and nerve are clean, the dentist will fill the root canal with medicine before sealing the tooth with a filling and possibly a dental crown. Root canal procedures are quite unpleasant and should be avoided if possible. The best way to avoid root canal treatment or any form of tooth decay is to properly brush and floss your teeth and keep up regular appointments with a Leeds dentist. By staying on top of tooth decay you could save yourself a lot of pain and money in the future.
City of Leeds dentist saves tooth with root canal treatment
Friday, November 20th, 2009
No dental surgery is more feared than the dreaded root canal treatment. The sound of the dentist drill is synonymous with this eye-watering procedure. That’s the perceived impression anyway, but the reality is somewhat different. A root canal treatment is one of the most important procedures in dentistry. It can make the difference between saving a tooth and losing it. More importantly, if you ask anybody who has suffered form an infected tooth, they will tell you just how painful it can be and how much of a relief it is when a root canal brings an end to that pain. So ignore the drill and the horror stories and give the root canal a little credit.
Root canals are necessary when a dental cavity has penetrated to the root of the tooth which has then become infected. The pulp, or dentine, inside the tooth is eaten away by the infection, which then sets to work on the ultra-sensitive nerve endings in the middle of the tooth. A root canal enables the dentist to get inside the tooth and remove all the infected material and the nerve endings, to bring and end to the infection and the pain. If allowed to develop the pain might stop when the nerve ending is dead but the infection can spread to other teeth and even into the bloodstream. You will also be left with a dead tooth that will more than likely drop out at some point.
The whole procedure will take place under a local anaesthetic which should make it no more painful than any other type of filling. When the infection has been removed and cleaned up, the dentist will then fill the cavity with a mix of resin and medicine to prevent the infection returning. The rest of the cavity is filled and then a crown usually placed over the top to help maintain the strength of the tooth.
The patient may experience some pain or numbness for a few days after the procedure but this will pass and can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers. The root canal treatment has a bad reputation, which may have something to do with how operations were performed in the past. But in the present and the availability of the latest technology, the root canal is a standard procedure and one that might save you a lot of pain. If you are suffering from toothache or think you may have an infection, as a City of Leeds dentist about root canal treatments.
Central Leeds dentists saves patient’s tooth with root canal treatment
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
Despite having a reputation as one of the most feared and painful dental procedures, a root canal treatment is also one of the most useful and can mean the difference between keeping a tooth and losing it. A successful root canal treatment can also eliminate the need for extensive dental treatment in the future, which could save you a lot of time, money and most importantly, pain.
Root canals are necessary when a tooth has become infected and is either dying or already dead. In either case the pulp needs to be extracted from the centre of the tooth and replaced with a filling and possibly a crown. The removal of this infection will hopefully stop the spread of infection to other teeth. Root canals can also be used to remove painful tooth abscesses caused by infections.
The pulp and root of the tooth is where the extremely sensitive nerve endings are found, which is why root canals are considered to be painful, but with the correct anaesthetic there is no reason it should be any more painful than a regular filling. More than that, the removal of the infection and sealing of the cavity will prevent any further pain occurring in the tooth.
Once the dentist has numbed the gums with a jelly, he will then anaesthetize the area so that there is no feeling in the teeth, gums or soft tissue. They can then set about removing the infected pulp and filling the cavity with medicine and filling material. This is then sealed with a root canal cap, and a crown may possibly placed on top to preserve the integrity of the tooth.
Root canals are often the only option available to the dentist to save the tooth. If an infected tooth is not treated it will eventually die and fall out and may spread the infection to the other teeth. Bacteria form infected teeth can also enter the bloodstream causing further, more general, health complications and even heart disease.
If you are suffering form a toothache, or think you may have an infected tooth, consult a Central Leeds dentist as soon as possible and you might be able to prevent any further pain with a root canal treatment.
Cracked tooth repaired with low cost dental bonding from Leeds dentist
Monday, September 28th, 2009
Sometimes in dentistry it is the most basic and routine procedures that can make all the difference. It doesn’t have to be a painful root canal treatment, or extensive dental implant surgery to restore the appearance of healthy teeth. Sometimes just small adjustments or repairs are all that is needed to produce a healthy looking smile. Dental bonding is one such procedure. By using small amounts of this tooth-coloured resin, a dentist can repair a cracked or chipped tooth, can fill uneven gaps between teeth and even create a barrier to more sensitive areas of the teeth.
Dental bonding also has the advantage of being very cheap compared to some of the more intrusive procedures. Because dental bonding does not need to be manufactured in laboratory conditions, it is greatly reduced in cost and also means dental bonding can be carried out in one visit to the dentist. This is unless there are large areas that need to be bonded, in which case the bonding will need to set before a new layer is added. Dental bonding is usually a painless procedure unless it is being used to protect exposed or sensitive areas.
The main alternatives to dental bonding are dental crowns. Crowns are computer manufactured, ceramic caps that fit over the top of existing teeth. They are very strong but do require existing teeth to be ground down before they can be cemented. Crowns are therefore only used when the integrity of the teeth has been damaged beyond repair. When a tooth is still intact and relatively strong, a dentist will prefer to use bonding to make the repairs.
Dental bonding resin can be mixed to most closely resemble the natural colour of the patient’s teeth to provide the most satisfactory cosmetic results. It is molded to the desired shape by the dentist and then set hard by the intense heat of a laser. This whole process should take no longer than an hour and is a strong and painless way to restore the strength and appearance of your teeth.
Dental bonding is a very versatile material that can be used to carry out all sorts of repairs, both structural and cosmetic. A Leeds dentist may be able to make some small, low price adjustments to your teeth with dental bonding to give your smile that extra edge.
Root canal treatment from City of Leeds dentist saves patient’s tooth
Monday, September 21st, 2009
When a tooth becomes infected in its root, it becomes necessary to remove the root in order to save the tooth and prevent the spread of infection. This process is called a root canal treatment and involves completely removing the infected pulp at the centre of the tooth that may be causing severe pain and greatly affecting your dental and general health. Occasionally a root canal can be used to treat a tooth abscess where the abscess is a result of a greater infection.
Although often seen as the most terrifying and painful of dental procedures, with the advances in dental technology and modern pain relief, there is no real need for it to be any more painful than a regular filling. Your City of Leeds will certainly do all they can to make the process as pain free as possible for you.
This will involve anaesthetising the area before the surgery begins. The dentist will rub a gel-like substance into the gums to numb them before injecting a local anaesthetic to numb the teeth, lips and gums. The dentist will then use the dreaded drill to remove the infected pulp. Due to the anaesthetic, this will sound far more unpleasant than it feels and is a very simple procedure. The cavity that remains will then be filled with medicine to kill off any remaining infection before it is filled and then capped. If the structure of the tooth has been weakened, it may be necessary to apply a crown to the tooth with cement, but this depends on the circumstances. The patient may experience some pain or a numb feeling for a few days after the surgery but his will pass and can be controlled with over-the-counter painkillers.
Despite their fearsome reputations, root canals are one of the most important dental procedures and can make the difference between keeping a tooth and losing it. The earlier the procedure is performed, the less developed the infection. This means that not only will the infection be prevented from spreading making the surgery easier, but also it will probably be less uncomfortable and quicker.
So if you think you may have an infected tooth, make an appointment to see a City of Leeds dentist as soon as possible and you might save yourself further pain and complications.