Step 1: Referral
Your dentist will send us a referral letter along with your history and radiographs. Before seeing you, we will assess these to ensure we focus on your specific needs and work within your dentist’s management plan for your teeth.
Step 2: Consultation
At our first meeting, we will seek to understand your situation thoroughly and to address any of your questions or concerns.
We believe our patients should be fully aware how much various treatment options are likely to cost. As such, before any treatment begins, we will outline the likely costs.
Step 3: Investigation
Undertaking endodontic treatment is a significant step. Hence, we aim to recommend it solely where it’s appropriate.
In practical terms, this means that before recommending endodontic treatment, we often advise our patients to have their tooth structure(s) investigated and assessed. This is to determine whether there is enough remaining tooth structure for a good long-term prognosis.
This investigation will inform our recommendation: be this endodontic treatment or other options such as prosthetics or the removal of the tooth.
Step 4: Endodontic Treatment and Interim Restoration
Once it’s been determined that your tooth / teeth are suitable for endodontic treatment, the process is simple:
- Removal of inflamed or infected pulp / tissue from the root canal system
- Preparation and cleaning of the root canal system.
- The root canal system is usually medicated and an interim filling is placed.
- The root canal system is filled when there are no signs of disease or infection remaining.
Depending on individual circumstances, this treatment process typically takes one to three visits.
Note: During the course of your treatment, your tooth / teeth may display conditions that indicate other types of treatment may be more appropriate. Where this occurs, we will communicate openly and clearly with you.
Step 5: Comprehensive Restoration
To give your tooth / teeth the greatest chance of remaining healthy, certain long-term restorative measures are crucial.
These take place after your endodontic treatment and will be overseen by your dentist. They include such things as crowns, overlays and simple fillings – each of which your dentist will be happy to discuss with you.
To enable your tooth to be adequately restored following endodontic treatment, we’ll make every effort to deliver timely information to your dentist.