Root Canal Treatment

Save your tooth from being extracted with a pain free experience 

what is a root canal treatment?

A root canal treatment is a procedure performed to save a tooth when it has become severely infected or damaged by decay or by trauma . It involves cleaning out the tooth’s insides by removing the infected pulp from the tooth’s centre or “canal”. The canal is then filled with another material and the tooth fitted with a crown.

 

What is a Root Canal used to treat?

To save severely decayed or infected teeth.

To save a broken or chipped tooth.

To relieve pain in teeth.

To treat an abscess or infection near the tooth root.

It could be time to opt for a root canal procedure if you have the following:

  • A big cavity or decay
  • A broken, cracked or chipped tooth. 
  • Swollen gums 
  • Painful tooth on biting 
  • Tooth decay with severe sensitivity to hot or cold
  1. Our dentist will first take an X-ray of the tooth to check the infection’s extent and the root canals’ shape.  
  2. We will then give you local anaesthesia to numb the tooth and surrounding areas. A rubber dam sheet will be placed in your mouth to keep the tooth dry for the entire procedure. 
  3. The dentist will make a small hole in your tooth to reach the root canals. Small files will be used to remove the pulp tissue and clean the canals properly. The canals will be frequently irrigated with water or sodium hypochlorite to flush away the debris. 
  4. The canal is then filled with a unique filling material called gutta-percha and sealed. Sometimes, we also place a medicated paste inside the canal to help in tooth healing.

Following are some tips to take care of your tooth following a root canal treatment

  • Do not eat for at least 1-2 hours after your root canal since your lips, gums and tongue will be numb. You might bite on your soft tissues or burn them from hot food.
  • Avoid chewing on the side of the root canal treated tooth for 24 hours to allow the filling or crown to set appropriately. 
  • After the anaesthesia wears off, you might experience some pain, tenderness or soreness. The pain can be relieved with over-the-counter pain medications like Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. 
  • If your dentist has prescribed antibiotics, take them for the required time (even if you do not have signs of infection). 
  • Between appointments, it is common for a part of the temporary filling to break and come off. However, if the entire filling comes out, go back to your dentist and get it refilled.  
  • Contact your dentist if you have pain, tenderness, swelling or uneven bite for more than three days after the procedure.

Happy Patients

We always strive to ensure that all our patients leave us smiling

The best Dentist I have ever been to. Miriam is a total pro and for those of us that are not so comfy in the dentists chair , she puts one at ease.

David O'Mahony Avatar David O’Mahony
December 18, 2019

I loved the way Miriam treated me. She is a very friendly dentist and solved my problem without any hassle. I recommend her for any dental health needs. The receptionist also was quite proactive and warm.

Rajesh Kashyap Avatar Rajesh Kashyap
January 8, 2021
root canal treatment

Root Canal procedure

When the tooth is fully numb, we cut a precise access hole through the top, to get through to the inside of the tooth, the unhealthy pulp tissue is removed, the canal system is cleaned & disinfected and shaped, and finally the canal(s) is then sealed up with a natural rubber material called “gutta percha”.

After the root canal has been treated, the remaining tooth structure has to be sealed and protected, this is crucial for the continued success of the tooth. At the back of the mouth after root canal it is wisest to protect the tooth with a crown or onlay, at the front of the mouth it is usually sufficient to restore the tooth structure with “ white filling” materia

is a root canal important?

The pulp is the soft central core of a tooth, containing blood vessels and nerves which keep the tooth alive. Root canal treatment is needed when the pulp is either inflamed, dead or infected. The reason for the pulp being damaged may be any of the following:

  • Tooth decay
  • Large/deep filling
  • Bacterial leakage under an old crown or filling
  • Trauma (after a fall, an accident or sports injury)
  • Cracks or fracture in the teeth

When a tooth requires root canal treatment – the only alternative treatment option is extraction (removal) of that tooth. 

At our dental practice we have a lot of experience with performing painless root canal treatments. We do all root canal treatments under copious amounts of local anaesthesia so it is now normal for root canal visits to be quite painfree. The treatment will most often be provided over 2 visits.

Practice Plan

We offer a Dental Practice Plan. This provides our patients a way to spread the cost of attending for regular preventive dental care. You can join our plan from as little as €14.50 per month.

Miriam Kenny Morehampton Dental Practice

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frequently Asked Questions

A root canal treatment is performed only after numbing the tooth with local anaesthesia, so no pain is felt during the procedure. You might feel some pressure when your dentist is cleaning out your canal, which is normal. After the treatment, when the anaesthesia has worn off, some soreness or tenderness may remain. You can manage this by taking over-the-counter painkillers. 

In a root canal procedure, the infected pulp will be eliminated from your tooth centre and fill it with another material. The treatment is performed after numbing the tooth so that you won’t feel a thing. There might be some soreness and tenderness after the procedure.

After a successful root canal procedure, there may be pain or soreness for 24-72 hours. The soreness is normal and will go away after a few days. However, if you have persistent pain after three days of the root canal treatment, you should contact the practice.

The anaesthesia given during a root canal treatment takes time to wear off, so avoid eating from the side that’s numb to protect yourself from burning yourself or biting your cheeks. Immediately after the procedure, you can have something cold like yoghurt, ice cream or a smoothie to soothe the area. For the next few days, you can have a soft diet. Avoid hard, crunchy, chewy or sticky foods. 

No, the nerve supply of the tooth cannot grow back after a root canal. The tooth is technically “dead”, with no blood vessels and nerve supply. 

Yes, a dentist can redo a root canal. The crown and the core filling materials must be removed very carefully, without damaging the already brittle tooth.

Yes, you can drive yourself after a root canal comfortably. The anaesthesia’s numbness will make sure you do not have any discomfort for at least a couple of hours after the treatment.

A tooth might look black after a root canal treatment. The dead dentine may darken because of the absence of a nutrient supply, and the tooth looks dull. You can opt for a crown, veneer, or internal whitening of the tooth to get rid of this dark shade.

Miriam Kenny Morehampton Dental Practice

Your Trusted Dental Clinic

Our practice is based on providing a high standard of modern dentistry in a friendly, professional manner. It is our mission to help our patients maintain their teeth and a healthy mouth for their lifetime.

Our entire team is committed to this ideal. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from returning patients and referrals of their family and friends. We welcome and are grateful for these referrals.

It has been normal for a long time in modern dentistry to sterilise instruments after use and to clean and disinfect surfaces.

With the current Covid-19 pandemic we are paying particular attention to our normal cross-infection practices, but in addition, we are keeping the practice well ventilated (it may feel cold) and we use a special Fogging machine with Hypochlorous acid (HOCL) which is an all-natural antimicrobial agent made from salt and water by an electrolysis unit. Fogging of each surgery is carried out between patients after any treatment involving an aerosol.

To reduce aerosol production during procedures with the dentist we most often use a little device called a rubber dam —.50 this isolates the immediate teeth we are working with & protects the back of mouth. During hygienist treatment we are using an extra suction device outside of the mouth, this also reduces aerosol production.

We offer modern dentistry in a friendly professional caring environment.

The practice is owned & directed by Miriam Kenny and as the business owner and the principal healthcare professional, I am primarily interested in providing evidence-based dental healthcare. This means my priority is to help my dental patients to maintain their own natural teeth in a healthy mouth for their lifetime.

We can help improve your smile - we offer a range of options depending on what is most appropriate for you, from tooth whitening to composite bonding to ceramic veneers, crowns and bridges.

How Much do Dental Check-ups cost?

At Miriam Kenny Morehampton Dental Practice we aim to provide state of the art, quality affordable dental treatment to all.

It was with this in mind that we created our affordable dental plans, which helps us to keep your teeth, gums and oral health in tip-top shape.

With our Practice Plan, you will attend every 6 months with the hygienist and once yearly for your dental examination and have no fees to pay at these visits. The cost of these visits is covered by your monthly subscription – this is as low as €14.50 or €21, depending on whether you qualify for the “PRSI” benefit.

TreatmentMember of maintenance planNon-member of plan
Examination Included in plan€70
Hygienist VisitIncluded in plan€90
Small X-rayIncluded in plan€45
Large X-ray (OPG)€60€60

How to Find Us

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Address

First Floor, 79 Morehampton Rd,
Donnybrook, Dublin 4, D04 H2Y3

Phone

016683620

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Other Treatments you may consider

We offer dental hygiene services like professional teeth cleaning and polishing to prevent buildup of plaque.

A tooth may need to be extracted if it has undergone considerable damage  due to decay, trauma or gum disease.

It is important to get screened regularly for oral cancer by professionals. 

Decayed, broken down, chipped, or worn teeth can be fixed using dental fillings. “White  fillings” resemble the colour and shade of natural teeth and can effectively restore their natural shape and look.

Severe tooth pain, injury to the face and/or mouth, a cracked tooth, a fallen out tooth, a tooth abscess or uncontrollable bleeding from the mouth; these are all dental emergencies that need to be taken care of at the earliest.