“Painless” might not be the word that springs to mind when you think about the prospect of having a root canal. In fact, it could previously have been considered a complete oxymoron to put “painless” and “root canal” in the same sentence. But today, things have changed.
Root canal treatment is less painful, more accurate, there is less chance of reinfection following the procedure, and it takes less time to complete (excluding the really complex cases).
We completely understand that even having read this information, you may be struggling to believe that this is the case. So, here’s how the new technologies of the past few years have changed the experience of having root canal treatment.
Sterilisation methods have improved
Root canal used to be a much more challenging procedure for dentists to perform. One of the reasons for this is the that sterilisation methods were not as water-tight as they are today, and equipment such as CBCT scanners and X-rays were not as effective at picking up all the infected matter in the tooth.
With all of these elements having evolved over the last 1-2 decades, the rate of reinfection after treatment has dramatically reduced.
Improvement in pain management
Dental sedation is now more widely available in dental practices across the UK. Offering IV (intravenous) sedation has been a game-changer for our patients, who might not have felt comfortable enough to choose to have root canal treatment to address a dental infection.
IV sedation is administered in the arm with a very tiny needle, and relaxes you immediately, and without putting you to sleep. The combination of anaesthetic and IV sedation will allow you to completely focus away from any anxiety or worry you have about potentially being in any pain.
We strongly recommend IV sedation for root canal treatment procedures to patients who are unsure if they want to have treatment because of their anxieties. The consequences of not going ahead with treatment could potentially be losing a tooth and developing an even more painful infection. Whilst we do understand that choosing going ahead with root canal treatment is a big decision, it is a really worthwhile one that will save you a lot of hassle and discomfort in the future.
Magnification and imaging
At Denpure, we use some of the most reliable dental microscopes and CBCT scanners to see hidden canals and infection zones. Using these, we can deliver a precise clean, and remove the infection from the very start.
In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for some bacteria to get left behind due to the lack of visuals available to see where the infections zones were in your mouth. It’s fantastic to be able to reassure our patients that this is very much no longer the case. As a private dental practice, we will always invest in the very best imaging equipment and software dentistry has to offer, as we never want you to worry about the possibility of reinfection when you come and see us. In short, we believe in getting it right the first time, and this applies to all of the services we offer.
Post-operative pain is minimised
Post-operative pain used to be a given following root canal treatment in the past. Today however, the use of nickel-titanium rotary instruments by dentists has reduced this for patients. Using these instruments, your dentist at Denpure can accurately shape the root canals, preserving as much of your healthy natural tooth structure as possible.
These tools also provide your dentist with better access to disinfect your tooth, reducing the chance of post-op pain and complications.
Minimally-invasive anaesthetic techniques
As dentists, the prospect of having anaesthetic is probably what our patients are more apprehensive about. After their first procedure though, they’re astonished at how painless it can be (and should be!)
Dentists can now provide anaesthetic that:
Prior to your root canal treatment, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you will be fully numb throughout, and that the administering of the anaesthetic won’t induce any pain. We find that the pleasant surprise of it being painless helps patients to relax throughout the procedure itself, which is a real win for us, and for them.
If you’ve been putting off coming in to have your tooth looked at, and you suspect you may have a cavity, we really recommend popping in – even for a no-obligation diagnostic appointment.
Our dentists have a real knack at helping patients feel relaxed, and they can show you exactly how the dental pain you’re experiencing is affecting your oral health, and why you might want to consider a painless root canal procedure to address it.
Contact us here if you need to – we look forward to seeing you.
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