What is a root canal?

Root canal therapy is a procedure to restore an infected tooth. To restore the health of the tooth or save your tooth, our skilled dentist will remove the infected, inflamed, and injured tissue from within the tooth; clean the tooth; and fill it with a medicated material. We will then cap the tooth with a restoration, such as a dental crown, to return the tooth to its original shape and structure. We provide patients with bio-compatible root filling materials and laser sterilization. In most cases, a root canal can be completed in only one or two comfortable visits to our office.  In order to save the tooth, this type of endodontic treatment is often recommended if there is infected pulp in the tooth or the nerves become infected or damaged.

When should you get a root canal?

Signs that you might need this procedure are:

• a cracked tooth
• pain when chewing
• tender/swollen gums
• darkening of the gums
• lingering tooth sensitivity

These symptoms may occur if injury or decay reaches deep into the tooth, past the outer enamel layer. When left untreated, this type of infection and disease may cause the tooth to die and require tooth extraction. An infected tooth can have an effect on the whole body of the patient, so it’s safer to get the procedure done sooner than later.

Do root canals hurt?

This treatment has a reputation for being painful. In reality, root canal treatment can often be completed with minimal discomfort thanks to advanced techniques, tools, and local anesthesia. Our root canal dentist works hard to provide you with a pleasant, comfortable experience each time you visit our office.

Advantages

There are several advantages to saving a natural tooth with a root canal procedure:

• Natural look to the teeth
• Better/more effective chewing
• Tooth sensitivity reduction
• Prevents tooth loss
• Prevents jawbone deterioration