Root canal therapy can save a tooth from potential loss and you from a lot of pain and hassle! Root canal therapy is a last resort utilised to save a tooth that has been damaged by tooth decay or plaque infection. During this procedure with Hyde Park Dental Care in Sydney CBD our dentist, Dr Brian Joffe will clean the nerve of the tooth as well as remove the pulp from inside the tooth. The cleaning process is an imperative part of the preventative tooth-loss process and when attempting to save a tooth thorough and diligent cleaning is required. You can rest assured that our dentists have the most precise vision when it comes to eradicating signs of tooth decay and plaque infection, this means that your root canal procedure will be more successful and the general health of your teeth will also be maintained. What is pulp and why does it have to be removed when damaged? Dental pulp or pulp tissue is a soft part of tissue located inside of the tooth (inside the enamel and dentine) that is constituted of live soft tissue and cell particles called odontoblasts. Once bacteria (or plaque) infects the pulp it can break down the odontoblasts and decay the tooth from the inside of the pulp chamber. This can cause damage to the nerves, pain and infection or abscessed tooth which is when the dental pulp and tissue at the bottom of the tooth is replaced by a pus-filled sack. Symptoms of a dental abscess or root infection can include: Swelling of the gums, face, beck and head Bone loss where the root of the tooth and the jaw meet Discoloured tooth appearance (a dying tooth will often appear with a grey tinge) Severe aching in the mouth which may spread all the way down the jaw Sensitivity How will you be able to tell if I need root canal therapy? The nerves and pulp of your teeth can become aggravated or inflamed when an infection occurs. This will make your gums tender and appear red. Your dentist at Hyde Park Dental Care in Sydney CBD may also be able to take an OPG X-Ray of your mouth or panoramic X-Ray which will give him a deeper insight into the deeper components of your teeth including the roots, nerves and pulp. When you are examining your X-Rays your dentist will guide you through the different parts of your mouth that require attention, however generally dark components of the teeth are the dangerous parts. This X-Ray will also give your dentist an idea about the extent of the damage, and help him decide if extraction or root canal therapy is the best surgical route. If we cannot save your tooth an extraction may be required If root canal therapy fails due to extensive damage due to decay Dr Brian Joffe may have to remove your tooth. If we recommend this solution to you we will also most likely recommend the dental implant procedure so that we can restore the aesthetics and function of your smile. The dental implant procedure will involve the insertion of a titanium implant which will be covered by a completely natural-looking porcelain crown. If you are interested in finding out more about the dental services available at Hyde Park Dental in Sydney please do not hesitate to contact us. Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn.