Root Canal Treatment
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is needed when damage occurs to a tooth’s pulp. This can happen due to an injury or due to severe tooth decay.
A root canal is often a dreaded procedure but is often the only alternative to having a tooth extracted. Root canals are also very effective at eliminating tooth pain.
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is needed when damage occurs to a tooth’s pulp. This can happen due to an injury or due to severe tooth decay.
A root canal is often a dreaded procedure but is often the only alternative to having a tooth extracted. Root canals are also very effective at eliminating tooth pain.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Root canal therapy can save a tooth that has become severely infected or decayed. When diagnosis indicates the need for a root canal treatment, our first priority is our patients’ peace of mind.
Offering an extensive menu of pain-management options, our first order of business is to ensure that our patients are at-ease about the procedure.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS YOU NEED A ROOT CANAL
- Spontaneous pain even when you’re not eating or drinking
- Pain that wakes you up in the middle of the night
- Toothache that worsens when pressure is applied or when eating
- Darkening or discoloration of a tooth
- Recurring swelling of the gums
- Tenderness in the gums
- Extreme sensitivity to cold or heat
Ignoring these signs or symptoms can be detrimental to your oral health, and may lead to further complications including increased pain or an abscessed tooth.
What Happens After a Root Canal?
After a root canal, you should consider having a porcelain crown put over the tooth as this will help prevent tooth breakage. This is especially helpful if extensive restoration was done, leaving a thin shell of a tooth. If pain, swelling, and other problems occur after root canal treatment, you may need to meet with your dentist again to determine whether or not further work needs to be done.
Root Canal Treatment
After full anesthesia is achieved, treatment will be completed in either two or four appointments based on the health of the pulpal tissue.
If your tooth was severely infected, we may opt to place a medication in your canals for one or two weeks before completing the root canal to effectively decontaminate the area. A temporary filling will be used in between treatments to keep the area sterile.
A short Explainer Video from the American Association of Endodontists about the procedures of a Root Canal Treatment.