Why a root canal treatment?
What exactly is root canal treatment? When we talk about root canal treatment, we are talking about endodontology. Your teeth possess root canals that are filled with soft tissue. This tissue, also called dental pulp, consists of nerves and blood vessels. This is where inflammation can develop, such as from tooth decay, a cavity, a filling that has started to leak, or because you have fallen. When there is inflammation in the pulp, you need to take action. This is because it does not heal on its own. Moreover, the root canals are connected to the jawbone through the root tips. Therefore, make an appointment with the dentist immediately for root canal treatment. This is the only way to prevent the pain from worsening and the inflammation from spreading towards the jawbone. Therefore, make a dental appointment quickly by calling 020 662 9485.
When should you undergo a root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment is a preventive measure that can save your tooth or molar from extraction. So, when should you consider root canal treatment? If the tooth pulp becomes inflamed, you may experience pain while consuming hot or cold foods. Chewing and biting can also become painful. You might wake up at night due to severe tooth pain. Swollen gums, often appearing extra red, and pain radiating to other areas like the other teeth, jaws, or ears, are also common symptoms. However, not everyone experiences discomfort. In some cases, root canal inflammation is detected during a clinical test, when filling a molar, or through an X-ray.
Do you suffer from the complaints above? Make an appointment as soon as possible!
If you suffer from an infected root canal, make an appointment for root canal treatment as soon as possible. You can do this by calling 020 662 9485.
This is how a root canal treatment works
Most root canal treatments take about 30 minutes to 2 hours. This depends on the number of root canals that need to be treated and the complexity of your problem. A standard root canal treatment is performed by your own dentist.
First, an x-ray is taken to locate the inflammation. To prevent you from experiencing pain during the root canal treatment, you will be given a local anesthetic. The inflamed molar or tooth is opened from above so that the root canal is exposed. Then the inflamed and dead tissue is removed from your tooth. During the treatment, a number of X-rays are taken so that the dentist can monitor the progress of the treatment. The tooth or molar cavity is subsequently cleaned with a disinfectant liquid to prevent any inflamed residual tissue from developing. The cavity is filled with rubber posts, after which the dentist can place a filling. If the tooth is no longer strong enough due to the inflammation, the dentist will place a crown.
After the treatment
The vast majority of root canal treatments are successful. Fortunately, it almost never happens, but if over time you still experience the same symptoms again, or if it turns out that the inflammation has not completely healed after the treatment is over, you may need to undergo another root canal treatment.
So occasionally it may be necessary to undergo another endodontic treatment or even surgery. If it eventually turns out that the tooth cannot be retained, you will still need to have it extracted.
Root canal treatments: the most important things at a glance
The answers to the most frequently asked questions about root canal treatments can be found below. Is your question not listed? You can of course always contact our practice for more information.
Who will perform my root canal treatment?
For the most complex root canal treatments and re-treatments, we will give you a referral for Sander Menso, our in-house dental endodontologist. Sander is certified as a Dental Endodontologist by the Dutch Association for Endodontology and is also a member of the European Society of Endodontology (ESE) and Tandarts-Endodontologen-Nederland (TEN). He also regularly attends the most important national and international conferences and courses in the field of endodontology.
Is nerve treatment different from root canal treatment?
A nerve treatment is the same as a root canal treatment. During this dental procedure, the root canal is cleared of inflamed tissue.
Is root canal treatment painful?
No, you will be given local anesthesia to prevent pain during the treatment. However, you may experience some post-treatment pain. To counteract these, you may take ibuprofen or paracetamol after the treatment. If you still experience pain 1 – 2 weeks after the root canal treatment, please call us on 020 662 9485. Do this also if you suffer from fever, or experience severe swelling and swallowing problems.
What will my health insurance company reimburse?
Root canal treatment is fully reimbursed by the basic insurance for anyone under 18 years of age. If you are 18 or older, the treatment may be reimbursed if you have supplementary insurance. For more information on reimbursement and associated policy conditions, please contact your own health insurance provider. We advise you to do this prior to the treatment, so that you know exactly which parts of the root canal treatment are fully or partially eligible for reimbursement.
How much will my root canal treatment cost?
The Dutch Healthcare Authority sets the rates for root canal treatments on behalf of the government. When you come for a consultation prior to treatment, your dentist will draw up a list of the costs for your root canal treatment. The total cost depends on the number of canals to be treated. Should it prove necessary, a separate endostart will be scheduled first. You will then return to us at a later time to undergo the rest of the root canal treatment.
Rates in 2024
An overview of the most commonly used codes in root canal treatment can be found here.
Other possibilities
Root canal treatment is performed to prevent the need to extract your tooth or molar. Below are the most common alternatives to root canal treatment:
Een wortelkanaalbehandeling wordt verricht om te voorkomen dat uw kies of tand moet worden getrokken. Hieronder vindt u de meest voorkomende alternatieven voor een wortelkanaalbehandeling:
- A-Do not treat or wait to treat until (mild) symptoms become more noticeable. In doing so, you run the risk of pain, and swelling, that the inflammation spreads, with possible damage to jawbone and loss of the tooth.
- B- In some cases, an apex resection (root tip treatment) is necessary. This involves a surgical procedure.
- C-Pulling your tooth without follow-up treatment. This may cause other teeth or molars to shift and you may develop gum disease. It can also change the height of your bite.
- D-The extraction of your tooth or molar with follow-up treatment (this may include placing an implant, (partial) denture or a bridge).
These alternative treatments can cause complications and are therefore not without risk. If you would like to know more about this, please get in touch with your dentist who will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Prevention is the best tool
Tooth decay and all its unpleasant consequences can mean that you need a root canal treatment. To prevent this as much as possible, it is recommended to make a habit of good oral hygiene. For the best tips and advice, please contact our dental hygienists. They know everything about good oral hygiene and can tell you exactly how to prevent such complaints!