Root Canal Treatment

 

What is root canal treatment and what are the causes

 

Root canal treatment is generally prescribed when your tooth experiences excruciating pain usually accompanied with sleepless nights. This is typical of an acute inflammation of your tooth’s pulp nerve endings and the inflammation is commonly progressive and irreversible. Root canal treatment when prescribed accurately can be a tooth saving procedure, giving your tooth many more years of remaining functional instead of tooth extraction. The presence of each and every tooth is important as it forms the complete set of functioning dentition in the mouth to maintain mutually protective functions of your teeth and maintain the position of its neighbouring teeth.

 

The leading cause for needing a root canal treatment in Singapore is due to dental caries. While dental caries and cavities can be managed with fillings, cavities that are highly invasive and more extensive containing higher loads of bacteria will cause an acute inflammation to the tooth’s pulp. An untreated tooth suffering from dental caries and cavities will eventually lead to the need for root canal treatment. It is important that during your regular dental checkup for scaling and polishing that your dentist advise you of any old, faulty and leaky fillings which needs to be replaced. As such a timely replacement of an old filling may minimise the need for a root canal treatment. Your dentist will be able to advise you on the best type of filling required for the job.

 

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How is root canal treatment performed and what is the cost

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A severe toothache involving the tooth’s nerve (pulp) is best managed by root canal treatment. However if the extent of the cavity renders the tooth beyond hope or a severely cracked tooth, extracting the tooth could be the only option. At Southern Dental Clinic, root canal treatment is completed within the hour. In complicated cases a separate session may be required to complete the root canal treatment. During the process of root canal treatment, your dentist will locate the tooth’s pulp and canals to begin disinfecting the inflamed and infected nerve. Our dentists at Southern Dental Clinic will effectively and gently numb the tooth before commencing to ensure a painless root canal treatment session. The typical cost of a root canal treatment in Singapore range from $500 to $1200. Generally a root canal treatment in the front teeth cost less than teeth at the back. This is due to the increased level of complexity of the root canal in the back teeth. A completed root canal treatment will require post-core which adds strength to the fragile and brittle tooth. Finally after an uneventful treatment, the tooth is contoured down to receive a crown which is a permanent and lasting cap over the tooth. A dental crown is billed separately from the root canal treatment. A root canal treated tooth that does not have a crown is at risk of fracturing and bacteria re-infection of the tooth.

 

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Other causes leading to root canal treatment include:

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• ​Cracked tooth or cracked tooth syndrome

• Traumatic tooth injury such as knocks and bumps

• Dental abscess

• Old faulty and leaky fillings

• Secondary caries

• Internal resorption

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Revision and Surgical Root Canal Treatment

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A small percentage of root canal treatment undergo failure and re-infection at some stage. In such cases depending on the examination and x-ray findings, your tooth may require another round of root canal treatment or even a surgical resection of the root canal. Speak to us today regarding your options.

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Alternative to root canal treatment?

Crown and bridge, Dental implants, Dentures.

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