Endodontics in Sevenoaks
Endodontics is the area of dentistry concerned with the inside of the tooth, including the dental pulp, root canals and tissues surrounding the roots.
When the pulp inside a tooth becomes inflamed, infected or damaged, endodontic treatment may be needed to relieve symptoms, control infection and, where possible, preserve the natural tooth.
At Sevenoaks Dental & Implant Centre, we provide endodontic assessment and treatment for patients with tooth pain, infection and problems affecting previously root-treated teeth.
Our endodontic treatments include root canal treatment, re-root canal treatment and apicectomy, depending on the condition and treatment needs of the individual tooth.
What Is Endodontics?
Endodontics focuses on diagnosing and treating problems affecting the dental pulp and root canal system of a tooth.
The pulp contains nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth. If bacteria reach the pulp through decay, cracks, trauma or other damage, inflammation or infection can develop.
Endodontic treatment aims to address the source of the problem while preserving the natural tooth where this is clinically possible.
What Does an Endodontist Treat?
Endodontic care may be required for a range of problems affecting the inside of a tooth or the tissues around its roots.
These can include:
- Infection of the dental pulp
- Inflammation of the pulp
- Dental abscesses associated with an infected tooth
- Persistent pain associated with a tooth
- Teeth that have been damaged by trauma
- Persistent infection following previous root canal treatment
- Problems affecting the end of a tooth root
- Selected cases requiring endodontic surgery
The appropriate treatment depends on the cause of the problem and the condition of the tooth.
What are the benefits of root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment stops the spread of infection – With root canal treatment, the bacteria that causes the infection will be removed. Once the bacteria are removed, the tooth will be cleaned and disinfected which, in turn, will stop the cause of toothache or tooth decay. When the infected tooth is treated, there is no room for the bacteria to spread.
Root canal treatment saves your tooth – root canal treatment helps save your tooth, so you do not have to worry about losing a tooth or having a gap between teeth.
Root canal treatment prevents jawbone degradation – One of the advantages of root canal treatment is the preservation of the tooth. When teeth are preserved, the jawbone remains intact.