When the nerve (pulp) of a tooth is inflamed, sometimes there can be severe toothache experienced by patients. This is because the pulp of the tooth is dying due to it being attacked by bacteria. Bacteria enter the pulp area of the tooth through tooth decay or fracture of the tooth or a failing filling.
When such toothache arises, the tooth will either have to be root canal treated or extracted. Extraction of the tooth should be avoided where possible. Teeth extracted and not replaced, may result in the socket bone resorbing (shrinking) and the neighbouring teeth tilting and over-erupting.
For inflamed pulps, root canal treatment has an excellent chance of saving the tooth with a success rate of around 80%. Root canal treatment involves removing the inflamed pulp tissue and cleaning the root canal area and placing a resin & rubber material inside the root canal space. So with root canal treatment the tooth is maintained in the mouth for function and aesthetics. Also, instead of the tooth being inflamed and aching, it will be clean and pain free after root canal treatment.
Root canal treatment is usually carried out over 1-3 visits and the procedure is painless when the painless injection protocol is followed. Root canal treatment begins with pulp extirpation. Pulp extirpation is the process of removing the coronal (top) part of the nerve which is the start of root canal treatment. The most inflamed and painful part of the nerve is usually the top part of the nerve as bacteria reach the top part of the nerve first.
During emergency appointments, there is usually insufficient time for the emergency dentist to remove the whole nerve of the tooth. However, by removing the top half of the nerve (pulp extirpation), the most inflamed nerve tissue is removed. Most, if not all of the patients pain will settle down after pulp extirpation is carried out. In around 20% of cases, there can be some residual pain from the tooth for 48 hours afterwards, which can be managed by taking NSAID medication such as Ibuprofen or Paracetamol.
After pulp extirpation is carried out, the patient will then have to come back to see our general dentists or their own dentist within 2 weeks to complete the rest of their root canal treatment. For more complex root canal treatments such as multi-rooted molars, its advisable to see an Endodontist (specialist in root canal treatment) who would use advanced equipment such as microscope magnification and cone beam ct scans to complete your root canal treatment.
Pearl Dental Clinic is open 7 days a week from 9am-10pm so that you can have your pulp extirpation treatment without having to take time off work. You can book an appointment by calling us on 0208 547 9997 or emailing us or book an appointment online (available 24 hours/day).
