Root Canal Treatment or RCT
Root canal treatment or RCT alleviates tooth discomfort and preserves teeth that are damaged or infected. Not only does this treatment provide pain relief, but it also prevents the need for tooth extraction and subsequent restorative procedures later on.
A root canal is a treatment done to help save a tooth that is severely infected. During the root canal treatment/RCT, the infected tissue such as the tooth’s pulp, nerve and infected bacteria or abscess, are removed.
The tooth is then irrigated with antibacterial solutions to sterilise the area, and antibiotic paste is placed within the cavity and left for a few weeks to settle. This procedure often takes 2 to 3 appointments to fully remove all infected areas and bacteria within the tooth cavity and bone area.
Once the dentist is happy with the results of the antibiotic treatment and all the infection has cleared, the tooth cavity is ready to fill. The final stage of the root canal treatment is to fill the sterile empty canals, where the nerve once lived, with a purified and sterile latex material, and then finished off with a permanent filling or a crown to strengthen the weakened tooth.
A few signs of infection in a tooth area include:
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- Swollen cheek
- Throbbing pain in a tooth area. This throbbing pain may also appear in the jaw or ear area
- Lymph nodes beneath the jaw area becoming swollen and sore to touch
- Experiencing pain when chewing or biting food
- An abscess (or pimple) on the gums
- Severe toothache pain
- Sometimes no symptoms are present
- Swelling and/or tenderness of the gums around the tooth
The infected tooth occurs when bacteria become trapped inside the nerve of the tooth. If this infection is left untreated, it can lead to serious health issues. The cheek may become swollen which can then lead to sinus infections if left untreated.
Some causes of infection may include:
- Untreated decay of a tooth
- Poor dental hygiene
- Cracked or chipped teeth that are left untreated
Root canal treatment in Perth can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000 depending on the severity of the condition and the dentist you visit.
Root canal treatment is not an emergency procedure, but it is important to get the treatment done as soon as possible to avoid further damage to the tooth.