ENDODONTIC TREATMENT
Endodontic Treatment in Milton Keynes
Looking for a relaxing, professional dental clinic to have your endodontic treatment? Well, you’re in the right place.
Endodontic Treatment in Milton Keynes
Looking for a relaxing, professional dental clinic to have your endodontic treatment? Well, you’re in the right place.
BOOKING A TREATMENT
Please use the form below for all of your dental treatments, check-ups and and dental hygiene appointments.
OPENING HOURS
Monday 8am – 7:30pm
Tuesday 8am – 7:30pm
Wednesday 8am – 7:30pm
Thursday 8am – 7:30pm
Friday 8am – 5pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
ADDRESS
Enquiry About Endodontics
Oakgrove Dental Practice
LOOKING AFTER YOUR SMILE
Oakgrove, Milton Keynes are one of the leading dental groups in endodontic treatments, helping to save and restore teeth with damaged pulp without having to fully remove them.
You can keep your wonderful smile whilst also making sure all your teeth are as healthy as can be. Also, with our manageable flexible payment plans, you don’t need to worry about big one-off payments.
Sounds good? Book your treatment today…
LOOKING AFTER YOUR SMILE
Oakgrove,
Milton Keynes are one of the leading dental groups in endodontic treatments, helping to save and restore teeth with damaged pulp without having to fully remove them.
You can keep your wonderful smile whilst also making sure all your teeth are as healthy as can be. Also, with our manageable flexible payment plans, you don’t need to worry about big one-off payments.
Sounds good? Book your treatment today…
WHAT IS ENDODONTIC TREATMENT?
Endodontic treatment, more commonly referred to as root canal treatment, is a procedure used to save teeth containing damaged pulp, without having to remove them completely. Firstly, your dentist will remove the pulp from the tooth and clean the area, before filling the tooth and finishing the procedure with a dental crown.
Now, many people are concerned about pain during endodontic treatment and we get it, the explanation doesn’t lend itself to nice thoughts! However, the procedure is always carried out under local anaesthetic so you won’t feel a thing. At Oakgrove, Milton Keynes we do everything possible to make you feel comfortable and our team is with you every step of the way to relieve any stress and to help you relax.
Sensitivity and tenderness are to be expected for a few days after the treatment then after this, you can continue with your regular oral hygiene routine, as the procedure enables the tooth to function like a normal tooth would.
DO I NEED ENDODONTIC TREATMENT?
If you’re experiencing pain, sensitivity, discolouration of the tooth or tenderness, it’s time to give us a call, as you may need endodontic treatment. Although, not everyone experiences these symptoms when they are in need of endodontic treatment, so keeping up with your regular dental checkups is important. After all, visiting our luxurious clinic a few times a year isn’t exactly a chore!
The pulp in the tooth can become infected for a number of reasons, from the wearing of enamel to deep decay, broken teeth or severe gum disease. Our team are experts in identifying issues early on, so endodontic treatment can be used to save the tooth rather than having to remove it completely.
TREATMENT AT OAKGROVE DENTAL PRACTICE
There is no need to be worried about any procedure, as patient care is at the forefront of everything we do and we promise that you will feel comfortable when you are with us. Sit back, relax and let’s get you that healthy smile that you deserve.
For any more information, contact us and we can get you on the phone with one of our experts on the same day!
DO I NEED ENDODONTIC TREATMENT?
If you’re experiencing pain, sensitivity, discolouration of the tooth or tenderness, it’s time to give us a call, as you may need endodontic treatment. Although, not everyone experiences these symptoms when they are in need of endodontic treatment, so keeping up with your regular dental checkups is important. After all, visiting our luxurious clinic a few times a year isn’t exactly a chore!
The pulp in the tooth can become infected for a number of reasons, from the wearing of enamel to deep decay, broken teeth or severe gum disease. Our team are experts in identifying issues early on, so endodontic treatment can be used to save the tooth rather than having to remove it completely.
TREATMENT AT OAKGROVE DENTAL PRACTICE
There is no need to be worried about any procedure, as patient care is at the forefront of everything we do and we promise that you will feel comfortable when you are with us. Sit back, relax and let’s get you that healthy smile that you deserve.
For any more information, contact us and we can get you on the phone with one of our experts on the same day!
BENEFITS OF ENDODONTIC TREATMENT
Aesthetic Benefits
Endodontics preserves the natural appearance of your teeth, avoiding gaps or artificial replacements.
Tooth Preservation
Ondodontic treatment saves natural teeth that might otherwise require extraction, maintaining your smile and bite alignment.
Infection Elimination:
Endodontic procedures remove bacteria and infection from inside the tooth, preventing the spread to surrounding tissues.
Long-Term Dental Health
Properly performed endodontic treatments ensure the tooth’s longevity, reducing the need for further dental interventions.
Cost-Effective
Saving a tooth with endodontic care is often less expensive than replacing it with an implant or bridge.
Pain Relief
Endodontic treatment, like root canals, effectively relieves severe tooth pain caused by infection or inflammation in the pulp.
UNDERSTANDING ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
What is root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment removes the infected or inflamed soft tissue, called the pulp, from inside a tooth. The empty canals are then cleaned, shaped and sealed, so the tooth can stay in place instead of being taken out.
The pulp can become infected through decay, gum disease, a crack or chip, or a dental abscess. Once it is infected it cannot heal on its own, so the realistic choice is between root canal treatment and losing the tooth. A filling or crown is fitted afterwards to seal and protect it.
How do I know if I need root canal treatment?
The clearest sign that a tooth needs root canal treatment is pain that lingers. Sensitivity to hot or cold that carries on for more than a few seconds after the drink has gone, pain when you bite down, or a deep throbbing that wakes you at night all suggest the pulp is damaged.
Other signs are a swelling or small pimple on the gum near the tooth, and one tooth turning grey or darker than its neighbours. Some teeth need treatment with no symptoms at all and are only picked up on an X-ray, which is one reason regular check-ups matter. Only tests on the tooth itself can confirm it.
Is root canal treatment painful?
Root canal treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic, so the tooth and gum are numb and you should not feel pain while the work is done. Most people describe pressure, vibration and a sense of work going on, rather than pain.
The severe ache people associate with root canals is usually the infection itself, which is the thing the treatment takes away. Afterwards the tooth can feel sore and tender to bite on for a few days, and paracetamol or ibuprofen normally controls it. Tell your dentist if the tooth has been badly infected, as a very inflamed tooth sometimes needs extra anaesthetic to numb fully.
How much does root canal treatment cost?
Root canal treatment at Oakgrove Dental starts from £550. The main thing that moves the price is which tooth needs treating: a front tooth with a single canal sits at the lower end, while a molar with three or four canals takes longer and costs more.
A crown afterwards is a separate cost, starting from £695, and is usually recommended for back teeth. X-rays are £15. You will be given a written cost for your own tooth after an examination, which starts from £55. Prices may vary depending on which of our locations you attend.
Is root canal treatment available on the NHS?
Root canal treatment is available on the NHS. In England it counts as a Band 2 treatment, currently £76.60, and that is a single charge covering the whole course of treatment however many appointments it takes.
If a crown is fitted in the same course, the charge moves up to Band 3 at £332.10. Some people pay nothing, including pregnant women and those who have given birth in the past 12 months. Charges differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Not every practice holds an NHS contract, so please check with us whether NHS treatment is available at your location, and ask for a written treatment plan before anything starts.
How many appointments are needed, and how long do they take?
Root canal treatment usually takes two or more appointments, each lasting one to two hours and occasionally longer. Some straightforward teeth can be finished in a single visit, which your dentist can judge once the tooth is open.
Back teeth take the longest, because a molar has three or four canals to find, clean and seal while a front tooth normally has one. Between appointments the tooth is closed with a temporary filling. If a crown is needed, that is fitted at a further visit after the root filling is finished.
Will I need an X-ray or scan before root canal treatment?
Yes, at least one X-ray is needed before root canal treatment, so the dentist can see how many roots the tooth has, their shape and length, and whether infection has spread into the bone around them. X-rays are £15.
A 3D scan is sometimes used for unusual root anatomy or a tooth that has not healed after earlier treatment, and a CT scan is £150. The radiation dose from dental images is very low. Tell your dentist if you are pregnant, as imaging will be kept to what is necessary, though an active infection is still treated rather than left.
What is an endodontist, and is root canal treatment available through all dentists?
Any registered dentist can carry out root canal treatment, and most general dentists do it routinely. An endodontist is a dentist who has completed three to four years of further postgraduate training in this one area and is on the General Dental Council’s specialist list.
Only dentists on that list may describe themselves as an endodontist or a specialist, and you can check any dentist’s registration on the General Dental Council’s website. Referral is often suggested for molars with awkward anatomy, teeth that have already been root treated once, or canals that are narrow or blocked. Specialists usually work with a microscope, which makes fine canals easier to find.
OUTCOMES & ALTERNATIVES
What is the success rate of root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment works in roughly 9 out of 10 teeth. A study following root treated teeth over many years found 97% were still in place after 10 years, 81% after 20 years and 68% after 37 years, with the infection cleared in about 93% at the 10 year mark.
The odds are better where more healthy tooth structure remains, the gums are healthy, and a well-fitting permanent filling or crown goes in promptly. Teeth left without proper protection on the biting surface fail noticeably more often, which is why what is put on top matters nearly as much as the root filling itself.
Will I need a crown after root canal treatment?
Back teeth usually need a crown after root canal treatment, while front teeth often do not. Covering the biting surface of a molar or premolar stops it splitting under chewing forces, and the evidence for doing so is strong.
In one 10 year study, root treated teeth restored with a crown had a 91% survival rate, against 76% for those given an ordinary filling. Front teeth take much lighter forces and can often be sealed with a filling instead. A ceramic crown starts from £695 and is fitted at a later visit, once the tooth has settled.
What are the alternatives to root canal treatment?
The only real alternative to root canal treatment is having the tooth taken out, because an infected pulp cannot recover on its own. Extraction by a general dentist is £165 to £250 and clears the infection, but it leaves you with a gap.
Filling that gap costs considerably more: dental implants start from £2,800, and dentures are £700 to £1,600. Extraction alone is the cheapest option on the day, but once you add replacing the tooth, keeping your own is usually simpler and cheaper overall. Leaving a gap suits some back teeth, though nearby teeth can tilt or drift into the space over time.
What happens if I do not have root canal treatment?
An infected tooth does not get better by itself. Without root canal treatment the infection stays inside the tooth and gradually destroys the bone around the root, with flare-ups of pain and swelling along the way, and the usual end point is losing the tooth.
Antibiotics cannot cure it. Once the pulp has died there is no blood supply to carry an antibiotic into the canal, so tablets may settle a swelling for a while but the problem returns when the course finishes. Seek urgent care if you have swelling of the face or neck, a fever, or trouble swallowing, as a spreading dental infection needs treating quickly.
Are there risks, and can a root canal fail?
Root canal treatment can fail, in roughly 1 in 10 teeth. Failure usually means bacteria survived in part of a canal, or found their way back in through a leaking filling or a new crack, and it can show up months or even years later.
Signs worth acting on are pain coming back, tenderness when biting, a swelling or small pimple on the gum over the tooth, or a persistent bad taste. Other recognised risks are an instrument breaking inside a canal, a canal being missed, and the tooth cracking later on. Many failing teeth can still be saved by retreatment rather than removed, so have it looked at early.
What is root canal retreatment?
Root canal retreatment means reopening a tooth that has already been root treated, taking out the old root filling, cleaning the canals again and resealing them. It is done when infection has persisted or come back.
Success is lower than for first-time treatment, at around 77%, because the canal shape has been altered and surviving bacteria are harder to reach. Where retreatment through the top of the tooth is not possible, a small operation at the root tip is an alternative with broadly similar odds. Retreatment is not on our published price list, so you will be given a written quote once the tooth has been assessed at an examination, from £55.
RECOVERY & AFTERCARE
What should I expect after treatment, and can I go back to work?
Most people go back to work the same day after root canal treatment. Your lip, jaw and tongue will stay numb for a few hours, so avoid hot drinks and take care not to bite your cheek until the feeling comes back.
The tooth and gum are often tender to bite on for a few days, and can take up to a couple of weeks to settle completely. Paracetamol or ibuprofen usually deals with it. Chew on the other side until the permanent filling or crown is in place. Ring the practice if the pain is severe, getting worse after about three days, or you develop swelling.
Will my tooth be dead after root canal treatment?
Root canal treatment takes out the pulp, so the tooth no longer has a nerve or blood supply of its own and will not feel hot, cold or sweet again. It stays firmly attached to the jaw by living ligament, so it still bites and chews normally.
Two things do change. The tooth becomes more brittle without its internal blood supply, which is why back teeth are usually crowned. It can also darken over months or years. Ordinary whitening does not work on a root treated tooth, but internal bleaching through the back of the tooth, or covering it with a crown or veneer, can restore the colour.
How do I look after a tooth that has had root canal treatment?
A root treated tooth needs the same brushing and cleaning between the teeth as any other, with one important difference: it can no longer feel pain, so fresh decay at the gum line can go unnoticed until it is advanced. Decay under the edge of a filling or crown is a common reason these teeth are eventually lost.
Have the permanent filling or crown fitted promptly rather than leaving a temporary in for months, as temporaries leak and let bacteria back in. Avoid biting very hard things such as ice with that tooth, and keep up regular check-ups so the bone around the root can be checked on X-ray as it heals.
Can root canal treatment be carried out under sedation?
Root canal treatment is normally done with local anaesthetic alone, which numbs the tooth fully. If you are very anxious, sedation can be added: usually inhalation sedation, where you breathe a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen, or intravenous sedation, which leaves you relaxed and drowsy but still able to respond.
Sedation manages anxiety rather than pain, so local anaesthetic is still given alongside it. After intravenous sedation you will need somebody to take you home, and you should not drive for the rest of the day. Contact the practice before booking to confirm which sedation options are available and what they cost.
WHY CHOOSE OAKGROVE DENTAL PRACTICE?
Complimentary consultation & smile simulation
Enjoy a free Invisalign consultation, complete with a 3D Itero scan to visualize your smile transformation before committing.
Comprehensive treatment package for the perfect smile
Benefit from included X-rays, photographs, free removable retainers, and teeth whitening for a complete smile makeover.
Flexible payment options available
Choose from 0% dentist finance for up to 12 months or in-house payment plans to suit your budget.
Trusted local experts in Invisalign®
As the only MiSmile member in Milton Keynes, we’ve helped create over 10,000 stunning Invisalign smiles.
WHY CHOOSE OAKGROVE DENTAL PRACTICE?
Complimentary consultation & smile simulation
Enjoy a free Invisalign consultation, complete with a 3D Itero scan to visualize your smile transformation before committing.
Comprehensive treatment package for the perfect smile
Benefit from included X-rays, photographs, free removable retainers, and teeth whitening for a complete smile makeover.
Flexible payment options available
Choose from 0% dentist finance for up to 12 months or in-house payment plans to suit your budget.
Trusted local experts in Invisalign®
As the only MiSmile member in Milton Keynes, we’ve helped create over 10,000 stunning Invisalign smiles.
OTHER TREATMENTS AT OAKGROVE DENTAL PRACTICE
