Root canal treatment (or endodontics) involves the removal of inflamed or infected pulp from the centre of the affected tooth. This prevents the infection from spreading and can help save a tooth that may otherwise have to be extracted.
The pulp is made up of soft tissue, including nerves and blood vessels, and extends from the crown to the tips of the root. Damage to the pulp is normally caused by decay, a deep filling or trauma to the tooth.
Symptoms can include
- Tooth pain
- Tenderness on biting
- Increased sensitivity to temperature
- Discolouration of the affected tooth
- A metallic taste
- Gum tenderness or swelling
- White Fillings
- One option to improve the cosmetic look of your smile is to have tooth-coloured or 'white' fillings. It is a safe procedure that entails one of our dentists removing any dental caries from your tooth, filling and placing a tooth coloured filling instead. The new filling is made from a very hard substance and will withstand the forces in your mouth when you bite and chew over a long period of time. This will allow you to smile by giving your teeth a more natural appearance overall.
- As dentists we believe prevention is always better than cure and we recommend white fillings as a good solution that is both aesthetic and functional so that tooth does not develop any further decay.
Cement Filling
A glass ionomer cement is a dental restorative material used in dentistry as a filling material and luting cement, including for orthodontic bands.
Avantage : Minimal technique required
Esthetically pleasing for patient.
Composite Filling
- Most people have fillings of one sort or another but today, because we are much more conscious of our smile, we can choose a natural looking alternative – the composite or tooth-coloured filling.
- A composite resin is a tooth-coloured plastic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide) first introduced in the 1960s. When placing white fillings the tooth and its surrounding area will be numb with a local anaesthetic, and the decay will be drilled from the tooth.
- When the decay has been removed, the tooth will be filled. For tooth-coloured fillings, the material is placed into the hole in layers, with a special light being shone on each layer to speed up the setting process.
- Composite fillings may take your dentist a little longer to complete. On posterior teeth they are considered to be a cosmetic treatment.
- The life expectancy of your composite filling can depend on the depth of cavity and its position in the mouth; your dentist is best positioned to advise you. Large fillings are less suitable for composite but other options are available.