Root Canals | Ottawa | Fairlawn Dental Centre

Treating the Root of Your Concerns

Over time, cavity-causing bacteria can work their way to the centre of your tooth and infect your tooth pulp, leading to potential pain and swelling.

To help protect your oral health and stop the infection from spreading further, we may recommend a root canal. If you’re concerned about a cavity infecting your tooth pulp, book an appointment with Fairlawn Dental Centre to see if a root canal is a suitable treatment for you.

Book Appointment

What Is a Root Canal?

Some cavities may not cause any noticeable issues during their early stages, but they can progress through your tooth and eventually infect your tooth pulp.

Your tooth pulp is a collection of blood vessels and nerve endings. When this area becomes infected, it can cause an abscess, a serious oral health problem that could lead to swelling and pain. A root canal is a procedure that removes the infected pulp from your tooth, stopping the infection and preserving your oral health.

Your tooth may not have blood vessels or nerve endings anymore, but a root canal can help retain its look and function.

What You Can Expect During Treatment

Before we can recommend a root canal treatment, the first step is to have a dental exam. By having exams regularly, our team can help detect early signs of cavities and prevent them from infecting your tooth pulp.

However, if your tooth pulp is infected, a dental exam can help us determine which restorative service may be right for your needs. Depending on your infection’s severity, we may recommend extracting the tooth and replacing it with an implant or bridge.

If we recommend a root canal, our team will happily walk you through the process. We want you to have a complete understanding of your treatment, so if you have any questions or concerns, please let us know.

Removing the Infected Tooth Pulp

For the first part of your treatment, your general dentist or endodontist will create an opening in your tooth that will allow them to remove the infected tooth pulp. Once the infection is removed, they’ll clean, reshape, and fill the area with a dental filling.

Depending on how much of the pulp was removed, you may need additional restorative services to protect the tooth from future issues.

Restoring Your Tooth

On top of a filling, we may recommend a crown to help protect the tooth and restore its look and function.

A crown is a cap we cement in place over your natural tooth. It’s highly durable and serves the same purpose as the tooth it’s covering, but it can also help protect your teeth from other issues like malalignment.

If you don’t have much of your tooth left after your root canal, we may recommend placing posts inside your tooth to hold the crown in place.

Recovering from the Procedure

Your tooth may be tender or sore for a few days, but you should be able to use your tooth regularly following the root canal treatment. If you notice any extreme pain or swelling, please call our team immediately.

While root canals can remove an infection from your tooth, it’s important to know that you can still develop cavities or other problems if you don’t maintain a healthy oral care routine. You can help reduce your risk of these concerns by brushing, flossing, and visiting us regularly for a dental exam and cleaning.