FAQs

An Endodontist is a Specialist Dentist who has completed an additional 3 years of further study and training in the area of infectious disease inside the tooth and it's surrounding structure.  Essentially, an Endodontist is a Root Canal Specialist, however, Endodontists are also trained to diagnose facial pain and to manage dental trauma.  All dentists are trained to perform Endodontic treatment, however, not all Root Canal treatments are the same.  A dentist will refer to an Endodontist when a case or a tooth is too complex to manage in a General Dental practice setting. At Geelong Endodontic Specialists, procedures are performed with all the latest techniques and equipment and all procedures are performed under magnification using the operating microscope.

You may need Root Canal Treatment if the tissue inside you tooth, the pulp, becomes inflamed or intected.  The inflammation and infection may be caused by deep decay, a crack in the rooth, leakage around a filling or as a result of trauma or a knock to the tooth.

If an infected tooth is left untreated it can cause pain and develop an abscess and bone loss around it.  The signs of an inflamed or infected tooth can be lingering pain, sensitivity to hot or cold, swelling and tenderness, pain to biting or discolouration of the tooth.  In some cases, there are no symptoms at all.  Endodontic treatment gives us the oppurtunity to retain teeth that would otherwise have to be removed because of this disease ir infection.

Whilst the conditions that lead to one requiring root canal treatment can often be painful, root canal treatment itself can usually be performed with little to no pain or discomfort.  We take great care to ensure that you are comfortable throughout your procedure.  Most patients will require no more than appropriate local anaesthetics prior to treatment in order to eliminate pain through the procedure.  For those patients who are anxious about treatment, your Endodontist may advise medication prior to your appointment or may suggest management under Nitrous Oxide Inhalation sedation (Happy Gas).  Once your local anaesthtics wears off, your Endodontist may suggest mild analgesics or anti-inflammatory medication to limit post-operative discomfort.

Most teeth with an infected or diseased pulp will be able to be treated with Root Canal Treatment; however not all teeth can be treated.  Teeth that are severely broken down, have advanced periodontal (gum) disease or are fractured may not be suitable for Root Canal Treatment.  At the initial consultation, an assessment of the suitability of each tooth for treatment is made.  Alternative treatment options are discussed and considered.  The suitability of the tooth is also reviewed during the course of treatment.

Root Canal Treatment enjoys a high success rate and most teeth that undergo treatment are retained for many years after.  However, as with all dental and medical procedures, there are circumstances when healing does not proceed as initially anticipated.  Persistent disease after treatment may be due to a breakdown in the restoration over the tooth or new areas of decay that have developed around the tooth.  Re-infection may result from a delay in the placement of the final restoration after Root Canal Treatment.  Persistent disease may also occur because some canals were difficult to locate or prepare during the initial procedure.  Many of these cases can be treated by removing the original root fillings and disinfecting and sealing the canals again or with the help of Endodontic Microsurgery.

There are, of course, no guarantees.  Root canal or endodontic therapy has a very high degree of success, up to 90%.  Teeth which can be treated near ideal have a success rate up to ninety percent!  We will discuss with you the chances of success before any endodontic procedure to help you make an informed decision.  If a root canal or endodontic therapy is unsuccessful or fails you still have options.

Once endodontic therapy is completed your tooth should be examined periodically, usually every 6 - 12 months.  This allows us to make sure the tooth has healed or is healing properly.  Periodic recall of the tooth will also allow us to address potential problems early to prevent further damage to the tooth or surrounding structures.This is a frequently asked question?

Root Canal Treatment is usually one step in the process of saving and restoring a diseased tooth back to function.  After your root canal treatment, your dentist will need to restore the crown of the tooth with a permanent restoration to seal this area and to provide protection to the tooth.  Your dentist may do this with a direct filling such as an amalgam or resin filling or with an indirect restoration such as a crown or an onlay.  Your Endodontist will usually discuss the restorative options with you at the initial appointment, however, the final decision in regards to the final restoration rests with you and your general dentist.  Your Endodontist will communicate with your general dentist throughout the procedure and may offer guidance.  Your general dentist will also continue to manage all your other dental requriements.

X-rays, or more correctly, radiographs are an essential part of root canal treatment.  Radiographs allow us to evaluate the internal structure of the tooth and the supporting structures under the gums.  They also allow us to evaluate the progress of root canal treatment throughout the procedure and healing after the procedure.  Your Endodontist will need to take a radiograph prior to Root Canal Treatment even if your general dentist provides one with the referral.  This is because it is important to see the state of the tooth at that time and to ensure consistency in the image.  They will also take radiographs during treatment, at the completion of treatment and at subsequent recall appointments.  In most cases, we will also use Cone Beam CT scaning to develop the most acccurate and complete image of the tooth prior to endodontic treatment.  At Geelong Endodontic Specialists, we have in house CBCT using the highest quality Morita equipment.  CBCT imaging is also sent for reporting by a trained radiologist. For most patients, the fee for obtaining and reporting of CBCT studies can be bulk billed through Medicare. Dental radiographs use minimal amounts of radiation which have not been found to have adverse affects.  Geelong Endodontic Specialists use digital radiography to ensure that radiation levels are kept to a minimum level.