Root-fillings are placed in teeth already so damaged by breakage or decay that the nerve is unlikely to survive, or has already died and is developing an abscess.

Occasionally, root-fillings are placed to enable the fitting of a post and crown, or to allow the straightening of a crooked tooth.

The Technique:

Tooth is numbed.

Rubber dam is applied.

All decay and weakened enamel is removed from the tooth.

The root space is cleaned out and then filled with special materials which allow the tooth to heal.

A metal or plastic band may be placed around the tooth to help produce a filling of satisfactory shape. The filling used is often temporary until it is reasonably certain that the tooth has recovered, usually after about six months.

What to expect after root-fillings:

The area surrounding the injection site may be tender for a couple of days. The root-filled tooth may remain sensitive to pressure for several days and will always feel different to a live tooth. The feeling of a root-filled tooth is often described as 'wooden'. Occasionally, the gum above the tooth may become swollen and need treatment with antibiotics. Any pain or sensitivity should show definite signs of reducing over the first few days. If it doesn't, or gets worse, contact the dentist.

If the tooth feels 'proud' when the injection wears off, it will need adjusting by the dentist, otherwise, it may break.

Sometimes,  despite our best efforts at repair, a  tooth which has already been so badly damaged by decay or breakage that it requires root-filling  may not always be saveable or may fail  weeks or months after the treatment. Occasionally, further treatment can lead to success but it should be remembered that root-filling is usually a treatment of last resort and its failure nearly always leads to the extraction of the diseased tooth.