Check-up and Digital Imaging
A six-monthly examination: intraoral check, digital X-ray if needed and a written summary of the day. A record is kept even when nothing is found; the next check-up is compared against it.
DetailsWhen decay or a blow reaches the nerve, the tooth throbs, hurts at night or stings with heat. Root canal treatment removes that tissue, shapes and disinfects the canals and seals them. The tooth loses its living tissue but keeps its chewing function.
Step by step
- Anaesthetic and isolation of the tooth (rubber dam)
- Locating, measuring and cleaning the canals
- Disinfection; a medicated interval if infection is widespread
- Filling the canals and sealing the top of the tooth
A root-treated tooth becomes brittle; in back teeth a crown is usually recommended.
Pain
It is done under anaesthetic. Tenderness on chewing for a few days afterwards is normal; severe or increasing pain should be reported to the clinic.
This page is general information and does not replace a dental examination. Whether the treatment suits you, and the method and duration, are decided only after an intraoral examination and radiographic assessment.
After treatment
Do not chew hard food on that tooth between visits. If the temporary filling falls out, call the same day. The permanent restoration (filling or crown) should not be delayed.
The information on this page is for general guidance and does not replace a dental examination. Treatment decisions are made after an intraoral examination and radiographic assessment.