Endodontic (Root Canal) Therapy
Your own natural tooth is meant to last a lifetime. Even if your tooth becomes infected or injured it can be saved with root canal treatment (endodontics). It will last just as long as if it had not been damaged.
Endodontic Therapy allows us to save teeth by removing the infection. The root of the tooth contains a space for the nerve and blood supply – it is this space that harbors the infection. The root canal (endodontic treatment) cleans the infection from this space.
Once the infection is removed from the root, the space is filled with materials that seal off the root canal space, preventing any leakage and allowing the tooth and surrounding bone to heal in an infection free environment.
Signs that you may need a Root Canal
You may need to have a root canal done if you are experiencing some of the following symptoms. 1. Pain on biting and chewing
2. Lingering sensitivity/pain to hot or cold temperatures
3. Swelling
4. A “bubble” on the gum that appears and disappears
5. Discoloration of the tooth And … there are also instances where there are no symptoms but the infection is diagnosed with dental x-rays. There are instances where there are no symptoms present, but the tooth is infected. This can usually be diagnosed with dental x-rays.
During the Appointment
Current techniques have allowed us to reduce the number of appointments needed to complete root canal treatment (usually one appointment). With proper administration of local anesthetics we are able to keep you as comfortable as if you were having a simple filling.
After the Root Canal
Once the infection has been successfully treated we almost always recommend that the tooth be protected with a crown. After all, an infected tooth has lost its blood supply and would become more brittle if the crown were not placed over it. Properly treated we expect the tooth to function normally.