Root Canal Treatment

Here at Hatfield Dental Care, we’re proud to offer a range of endodontics treatments to our patients, including root canal treatment.

What is root canal treatment?

Root canal treatment is used to treat infection at the centre – or root – of the tooth. When caught in time, and performed correctly, a root canal treatment can save a damaged tooth from removal.

When do we recommend having a root canal treatment?

We will only recommend root canal treatment when necessary. It is normally needed when we find infection in the dental pulp at the centre of the tooth.

This is normally caused by bacteria as a result of tooth decay, but it can also be necessitated by injury or, in some cases, a leaking filling.

How will I know if I need a root canal?

In some cases, patients might realise they need a root canal treatment because they have a loose tooth, or are experiencing pain when biting down, chewing and eating.

We will determine whether you’re in need of a root canal treatment by first performing an X-ray to see whether or not the tooth in question has been infected with bacteria.

What is getting a root canal treatment like?

Root canal treatments are usually performed under local anaesthetic, so you won’t experience any pain, but you will be aware of what is happening.

We’ll then place a thin rubber sheet, also known as a dental dam, inside your mouth covering everything except the tooth we’re working on.

At this point, we will use a drill to form a hole in the tooth to remove the infected dental pulp. Once the tooth has been irrigated and disinfected and the pulp has been removed, we will fill the tooth.

The first filling will be temporary so that you can come back for a follow-up appointment where we check that all the infection has been removed. If it has been, we will then permanently fill the tooth.