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Your tooth hurts. It hurts to bite down on, it hurts when exposed to either cold or heat (and leaves you reeling in pain for a while afterwards), and it leaves you feeling uncomfortable all day. Perhaps you’ve noticed what looks like a pimple on your gum near that tooth, too. You go to your Sydney dentist, Dr Leonard Hoffenberg and he tells you that you need a root canal. “Oh no!” you think, imagining painful procedures and high costs. Those words, “root canal,” have bad connotations. You’ve heard rumours. But those rumours are false. Actually, root canals are painless, or nearly so, and cost less, overall, than the alternatives. Best of all, a root canal makes your mouth stop hurting fast…and Dr Hoffenberg is here to help!

The Reasons for a Root Canal with Sydney Dentist, Dr. Leonard Hoffenberg

Teeth are mostly made of a hard, bone-like substance called dentine, covered with an even harder coating called enamel. But the very centre of each tooth is an open space filled with nerves and blood vessels that run down to the root of the tooth. This soft material is called the pulp. The space it occupies is called the root canal—teeth with multiple roots, such as molars, have root canals that branch.

Decay from a large cavity, blow to the jaw, or other damage can cause painful inflammation or infection in the dental pulp. The problem does not clear up on its own. The only way to save the tooth is to remove the pulp and fill and seal the root canals—“root canal” is also the name of the procedure.

The Risks of Avoiding the Procedure

If your tooth pulp is inflamed and you do nothing about it, your pain will get worse. You will probably lose the tooth, and the infection will likely spread and could become life-threatening. The only alternative treatment is tooth extraction. Antibiotics alone will not solve the problem. Since a lost tooth must be replaced in some way, requiring more dental work, extraction ultimately costs more than a root canal—and you may lose some chewing function anyway.

If you have persistent tooth pain, or if you have other dental problems. Dr Hoffenberg and the rest of the friendly staff will find out what the problem is and how to treat it. Be sure to come in for regular check-ups, too—it’s possible for dental pulp to become inflamed without symptoms.

What to Expect During and After the Treatment

When you come into the office, Dr Hoffenberg will examine you and take X-rays to assess any bone damage from infection. If Dr Hoffenberg decides a root canal is appropriate, he will likely schedule two appointments, one for cleaning out the root canal, the other for restoration of the tooth, often by the placement of a crown. During the period between the two appointments, you may have to go easy on the tooth. After the second appointment, there may be some sensitivity or mild pain initially. You may need to eat soft food for a few days. More severe pain means something unusual is happening, and you should call Dr Hoffenberg right away at (02) 8599 7107. There is no specialized aftercare needed. The procedure is a common one he has performed many times.

Don’t suffer, Get the Help and Relief you Need Today with CBD Dentist, Dr Hoffenberg and his team of caring professionals

Keep in mind that it’s the inflamed pulp that hurts a lot and carries serious risk if left untreated. Root canal procedures are a safe, common, way to get rid of that pain  and still keep your tooth. To schedule an appointment call Dr. Leonard Hoffenberg, your Sydney dentist at (02) 8599 7107.