Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that some of these Frequently Asked Questions about root canal treatment, infected teeth and Endodontic dental procedures will help you with any information you may require. Please feel free to contact us at anytime to discuss any queries you may have.
Our Patients Most Frequently Asked Questions
Our beautiful practices in several locations throughout London offer state-of-the-art facilities, the very latest in Endodontic technology and equipment and highly skilled professionals from around the world.
Our team will explain what to expect during treatment and try to allay anxieties. We aim to treat every patient in the manner that we would like to be treated ourselves, with warmth, courtesy and honest empathy.
-
What is root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment is a means of saving a tooth that may be damaged by decay, fracture or infection. The purpose of the treatment is to restore the tooth and surrounding tissues to health, relieving both pain and infection, as opposed to total tooth removal.
-
What is an endodontist?
An endodontist is a specialist dentist who deals specifically with dental pain, infection control and pain diagnosis. As experts in root canal treatment and surgery, endodontists undertake two years of higher training in addition to their five-year dental surgery degree.
-
Will it hurt?
This is the biggest concern of all patients. Part of our particular speciality is to ensure that we make any procedure as comfortable as possible. We use the latest injection techniques, such as the Wand (a computer-controlled system that controls the flow rate of the local anaesthetic allowing a slow and steady, and therefore comfortable, treatment) as well as stronger anaesthetics to make sure that you will not feel anything during the entire procedure.
-
What about later?
There will inevitably be bruising following any procedure and we will advise you about any painkillers that will be required. The bruising in most cases is transient and will subside quickly. For cases of very infected teeth, or when surgery is undertaken, precise care instructions will be given, coupled with antibiotics and mouthwash if necessary.
-
Will a lot of x-rays be taken?
Radiographs have to be taken to assess and monitor both treatment and healing. We keep the number of radiographs to a minimum and use the latest digital radiographic systems, which have the benefit of providing immediate images and at just 10-20% of the 'normal' dosage. To put it another way, the dosage of up to five of our radiographs would only be the equivalent of one radiograph taken by your dentist.
-
Does treatment take long?
We endeavour to do most treatments in a single visit of between one and two hours, depending on how complex the treatment is. If the tooth is very infected or it is an emergency visit we will ensure immediate or urgent pain and infection control is taken care of, then everything is normally completed at the next visit.
-
A couple of hours! How will I cope?
We normally put a sheet of rubber around the tooth and use a little prop so that your jaw doesn’t get tired - we will even put a film on for you to watch. It is not uncommon for our patients to fall asleep during treatment. If you are particularly nervous, sedation can always be arranged to really cut down on any stress during the procedure.
-
Do I need a dentist to refer me to you?
Ideally, yes – but we welcome self-referrals too. However, as the diagnosis is often unclear in these cases, we prefer to book a consultation appointment so that we can advise you on all aspects of treatment. Please contact 0207 224 0999 for any assistance.