Root Canals
FAQs
I've heard Root Canals are painful - are they?
Unfortunately, when a root canal is necessary, it is often the case that a patient is already suffering from a toothache or inflamed nerve inside their tooth. Sometimes, this inflammation inside the nerve causes the anaesthetic to be less effective. At Method Dental, we’ll work with you closely to give you the best chance of the anaesthetic working in these acutely painful situations.
Assuming the anaesthetic is able to work well, as in most cases, then the procedure is not painful at all and proceeds much like having a filling done.
Why do I need a Root Canal?
The main reason is that your tooth has a problem with the nerve that cannot be fixed in any other way.
These problems may include nerve inflammation, a dead nerve, trauma and infection.
What is a Root Canal?
The conditions under which a tooth nerve will die or become severely inflamed usually involve germs invading the space where the nerve of the tooth lives. So we enter the nerve space, remove the infected tissues and clean it with disinfectant. After the nerve space is clean, we seal it back up again.
I’ve heard that Root Canals don’t work – is that true?
It is true – but it is also true that every procedure performed has a certain failure rate.
The most common reason for a tooth treated with a Root Canal to fail is that the tooth structure above the gums – not where the Root Canal has been performed – is too weak and fails due to breaking or suffering from tooth decay.
This is why we often recommend reconstructing the visible part of your tooth with a crown or onlay, made in a laboratory in Australia, rather than a simple filling. This may give your tooth the best chance of long-term survival.
Are Root Canals safe?
Yes. Dentists are highly trained professionals and have been studying Root Canals for many, many years. We would not recommend them as a treatment option if they were unsafe.
Be wary of reading information or listening to stories that say that Root Canals are unsafe. Always ask your dentist about any information that you are concerned about.