Root Canal Treatment is the treatment of the inside of a tooth to heal or prevent infections, thereby saving teeth.
Healthy teeth have nerve endings, blood vessels and other cells inside the root canal system of the tooth. These give us, for example, the cold sensation when we eat an ice-cream or drink cold water.
When is Root Canal treatment needed?
Various things can cause damage to the root canal system including deep decay, a large filling, trauma, cracks, gum disease, etc. This may result in inflammation or infection, where the contents of the root canal system can be destroyed.
The aim of Endodontic treatment is to save teeth and remove pain by treating existing infections and preventing recurring infections. This is called ‘Root Canal treatment’.
Case Study: Treating an abscess
A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus that’s caused by a bacterial infection.
Here is an example of a tooth with an abscess, and an explanation of how Dr Andre Brand and his team were able to treat it.
This tooth developed an abscess due to multiple treatments and eventual death of the nerve tissue.
Before treatment
After: The treated tooth
Following cleaning, sterilizing and sealing of the root canal system, a 6 month follow up x-ray shows regrowth of bone and confirms complete healing. This tooth now has a very good long term prognosis.
If you think you might need Root Canal Treatment, reach out to us and book a consultation.
