Tandarts Jan van Galen
Root canal treatment
During root canal treatment your dentist removes infected and dead dental tissue from the root canal system. The root canal system is located beneath the crown and forms the part of the tooth which is hidden from view. The tissue in the roots can become infected due to a leaky filling or build-up of bacteria. During root canal treatment, we clean the canal system so thoroughly that the infection disappears and the pain goes down.
When I called about my complaints, I was able to see the dentist on the very same day. The pain in my tooth, jaw and ear was unbearable. Root canal treatment was performed immediately and the pain was gone after a few days.
Root canal treatment
In order to investigate precisely where the infection is located, your treating dentist will first take an X-ray of the root canal system. He will also perform a couple of tests: the cold test and the percussion test. After the diagnosis, root canal treatment is started. The dentist numbs the area around the infection and places a rubber dam. This rubber sheet protects the area to be treated from the rest of the mouth cavity. In this way we can work in a clean and efficient manner.
Step 1: Opening the tooth
In order to treat the underlying canal system and the infected root canal, the dentist drills an opening in the tooth.
Step 2: Eliminating the infection
The dentist uses small files to remove the infected content of the root canals. The dead and infected dental tissue must be removed entirely for optimal cure.
Step 3: Rinsing the canals
We want to be sure that no infected dental tissue remains in the root canals, so we clean your tooth root canal system with a disinfecting rinsing agent.
Step 4: Sealing the canals
It is important to seal the root canals properly. We do this by filling the opening of the canal with a rubber-like material. After that, we place a filling on the tooth.
After treatment
The root canal treatment takes place under local anaesthesia. Therefore, we advise you to wait before eating or drinking anything hot. Since you will not notice that it is hot because of the anaesthesia, you could burn yourself. On average, the effect of the anaesthesia wears off in two hours. It is normal to experience some pain after this. It will continue for some days after root canal treatment. You will notice it mainly when chewing or biting on something. We recommend that you take a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen in order to cope with the pain. For proper healing we advise you not to smoke after undergoing treatment.
You may clean your teeth and gums again immediately after undergoing treatment.
Retreatment
We perform root canal treatment in order to preserve your tooth. In exceptional cases we have to treat the tooth again. This usually happens when the infected dental tissue does not heal properly and the complaints recur. During retreatment we perform the same operations as during the first treatment. We clean the root canal thoroughly and fill it again. In order to monitor the progress of root canal treatment properly, the dentist takes an X-ray.
Complaints accompanying an infected root canal
The complaints arising from a root canal infection are not always easy to notice. In some cases, you will experience intense pain, but sometimes your teeth will only be sensitive. Once the dental tissue in the root canal has become infected, it will not heal of its own accord. We can classify the complaints into two stages. Make an appointment if you have one or more of the complaints below.
Complaints in the first stage of infection:
Complaints in a later stage of the infection
Costs of root canal treatment
The fees for root canal treatment have been established by the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa). The cost of treatment for you depends on the work that the dentist performs and the number of canals which must be treated. You will find a complete overview of the costs on our rates page.
Frequently asked questions
How long does root canal treatment take?
How long the dentist takes to perform root canal treatment depends on the number of root canals to be treated. Each tooth has a different number of canals. A normal tooth has one and a molar has several. This is why treatment duration can vary from half an hour to two hours.
Does root canal treatment hurt?
Root canal treatment takes place under local anaesthesia. Due to this you will not feel the surgery. As soon as the anaesthesia has worn off after treatment, you could feel some afterpain. It could last for two weeks. We recommend that you take a combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen to suppress the pain. If you still feel the pain, please contact the practice
What will happen if I don’t undergo root canal treatment?
Infected dental tissue will not heal of its own accord and therefore it is important that you undergo treatment. The only alternative to root canal treatment is tooth extraction. We aim to preserve your own teeth and therefore advise root canal treatment.
What our clients say
I thought that the radiating pain was related to an ear infection which wasn’t completely resolved yet. It turned out to be a root canal infection. The dentist helped me the very same week and the pain went away immediately.
For a long time, my teeth had been sensitive when they came into contact with hot or cold food or drinks. It seemed normal to me because I had heard that other people had the same complaint. It turned out to be a root canal infection in my case. Treatment was successful.
Make an appointment
If you would like to make an appointment for root canal treatment, call 020 618 0074 and we will be pleased to schedule an appointment for you at short notice.