Despite its stigma, root canal therapy is a relatively painless procedure. The treatment alleviates pain rather than causing it and preserves a damaged tooth that may otherwise require extraction. Your trusted team at Addison Grove Dental is proud to utilize the latest in technology and techniques to deliver outstanding, gentle care. We are all about maintaining healthy smiles!
What is a Root Canal?
Root canal therapy is an endodontic treatment that is required when the tooth's inner pulp becomes infected, inflamed, or damaged due to severe decay, fractures, or trauma. A diseased tooth left untreated can cause a host of problems, including severe pain, swelling of the face, and an abscess, which can cause bone loss around the roots of your teeth. Root canal therapy saves the affected tooth and helps prevent a potential dental emergency down the road.
Root canal therapy is virtually painless and will leave you with less discomfort during recovery than having a tooth extracted. Even though many dental restorations, including dental bridges or implants, deliver natural-looking and feeling results, nothing compares to maintaining your healthy, natural teeth.
Recognizing the Need for Root Canal Therapy
Symptoms of root canal problems include severe tooth pain, sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, tooth discoloration, swollen and tender gums, and a recurring pimple-like bump forming on the gums. Do not ignore any of these symptoms. Contact our office right away to save your tooth and avoid complications.
At times, you may require root canal therapy but experience no symptoms. That is why we recommend maintaining your routine dental exams and cleanings every six months. Our preventive care will help keep your teeth healthy and sound. If we detect a problem through digital x-rays or a physical exam, we will address it promptly to prevent its progression.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Root Canal Procedure
We start by numbing your tooth and will administer dental sedation if required. We will make a small opening in the crown of your tooth to access the diseased pulp and remove it. Next is cleaning and medicating the area, then filling your root canals with a rubbery material called gutta-percha. We will conclude the procedure by sealing the space to prevent any further infection. Following root canal therapy, we will prepare a custom dental crown to protect and strengthen your treated tooth. Your fully restored tooth will look, feel, and function just like your natural teeth!
Maintaining Your Smile After Root Canal Therapy
Make sure you brush and floss daily and keep up with your routine dental exams and cleanings so that we can treat any condition as it arises, and keep your smile clean and healthy. With proper care, a tooth that has undergone a root canal treatment can last a lifetime!
