Root Canals

As often as you’ve heard people say, “Well, it doesn’t take a neurosurgeon to figure that out,” you’ve likely heard them say, “Yeah, I want to do that about as much as I want to get a root canal!” We’ve grown to let the procedure scare us, but it shouldn’t. And here’s why:

A root canal procedure can SAVE your tooth. On top of this, people typically report that pain during the procedure is minimal, no more than the sensation of having a filling replaced.

When a tooth is cracked or has a deep cavity, bacteria can enter the pulp tissue, causing an infection inside the tooth. Eventually, an abscess may form. If this infected tissue is not removed, the patient will experience pain and swelling. Furthermore, this can cause serious injury to the jawbones and negatively impact the patient’s overall health. Ultimately, left untreated, a tooth with an infected nerve will create a large-scale infection.

Prior to a root canal, the diseased tooth can be very painful. The procedure typically brings a great deal of relief to the patient. The treatment involves anywhere from one to three visits to the dentist. During the root canal treatment, the infected tissue will be removed from the tooth, and the interior of the tooth will be cleaned and sealed. The tooth will then be filled with dental filling material. Depending on the amount of tooth decay and the location of the tooth, the dentist may recommend also placing a crown on the tooth to strengthen and protect it. 

After the treatment, care for your restored tooth as you would the rest of your mouth: brush, floss and regularly visit the dentist!