FAQs

FAQs

A root canal is a dental procedure used to treat a tooth that is damaged or infected in its inner part, the pulp. When the pulp (which contains nerves and blood vessels) gets infected or inflamed, it can cause severe pain and swelling. During a root canal, the specialist will remove the infected pulp, carefully clean the inside of the tooth and then fill it with a special material to prevent future infection. Finally, the tooth is sealed and often coverd with a dental crown to provide strength. Essentially, a root canal helps save a tooth that otherwise may need to be removed.

Whilst all endodontists are dentists, less than one percent of dentists are specialist endodontists in the UK.

Endodontists will have completed an additional 3-4 years of training beyond dental school. Their additional training focuses on diagnosing tooth pain and root canal treatment and other procedures relating to the interior of the tooth. They complete around 15 root canal treatments a week, while general dentists typically do around 2.

Endodontists have specialist materials and equipment designed to make your treatment more comfortable and successful. At Apex Endodontics we use state of the art 3-D imaging using a Cone Beam CT machine and all treatment is performed under magnification using a microscope, this is important as the space inside a root canal is smaller than the monarch’s head on a 5 pence piece!

Many of our patients come to us and feel fearful about having a root canal completed. There is a common misconception that root canals will be painful however this is absolutely not the case with modern technologies, anaesthetics and with specialist care. Our ethos at Apex Endo is that no dental treatment

should be painful and we use a number of techniques to ensure your visit is comfortable and even relaxing.

When performed to a high standard by a specialist, root canal is a safe and effective procedure.

Information you may find on the internet or elsewhere, claiming that root canal treatment can cause illnesses or systemic disease in the future is not based on valid, scientific evidence.

We live in a disposable, all-things-recyclable era. Yet some things are truly worth saving. For instance, teeth, which are a sign of overall good health. Saving teeth is exactly what endodontists do.

Removing teeth is not usually easier or more cost-effective than having a root canal. Over time, missing teeth can cause other teeth to shift, affect your ability to properly chew and have a negative impact your smile. Often, replacing an extracted tooth with an artificial one requires additional dental visits that can be more costly than saving the tooth.

Nothing looks, feels or functions like your natural tooth. Whilst implants are a great option for replacing missing teeth, if there is an option to save your natural tooth this is preferable. Remember, implants don’t last forever and can fail, so the longer you can retain your natural tooth, the better.

All cases are different, the time the treatment will take will depend on the complexity of the invividual case. At Apex Endodontics, we complete most cases in a single visit, but sometimes additional appointment are required. Typically a treatment appointment is around 90 minutes.

Many of our patients feedback how quickly the appointment flies by - especially as they are able to lie back and tune in to their favourite programmes on Netflix!

A member of our friendly team will contact you to check in on how you are after the appointment. We will write back to your referring dentist explaining the treatment has been completed and advise them on the next steps in your care.

Depending on the location of the tooth in the mouth your dentist may provide a crown to protect the tooth.

Yes absolutely – most of our refeerrals come from dentists but we are very happy for patients to contact us directly. Please see our contact page and get in touch.

Contact

Get in touch
Address

Apex Endodontics
Unit 6 Thame Park Business Centre
Wenman Road, Thame OX9 3XA

Contact

Call us: 07516 768 173

Email: info@apexendo.co.uk

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday 8.30 am - 5.00 pm
Saturday & Sunday Closed

Apex Endodontics
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