Discover our exceptional level of dental care with root canal therapy, where we revitalize your teeth, fortify their natural roots, and restore their form and function for enduring oral health.
Root canal therapy is a type of restorative dental treatment that involves removing infected pulp from the pulp cavity inside your teeth’s roots. Moderate to severe tooth decay extends to the pulp that contains nerve fibers, blood vessels, and connective tissue. The cavity-causing bacteria responsible for tooth decay release acid that irritates the nerve fibers, causing severe pain. A root canal removes the infected pulp to eliminate the pain and the cavity-causing bacteria.
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By removing the infected dental pulp and sealing the root canal, root canal therapy effectively eliminates the source of pain. Additionally, it shields the sensitive nerves from exposure, providing protection against tooth sensitivity when consuming hot or cold foods.
By treating and restoring the affected tooth, root canal therapy helps preserve your natural smile. This enables you to maintain proper bite alignment, prevent adjacent teeth from shifting, and avoid the need for extensive dental work, such as dental bridges or implants.
By removing the infected pulp and sealing off the root canal, the procedure prevents the bacteria from further infecting neighboring teeth. This helps maintain the overall oral health and prevents the need for additional treatments down the line.
The dentist will first evaluate your teeth to determine whether you’re a suitable candidate for a root canal. This evaluation involves a visual exam of the teeth and X-rays to determine the extent of the bacterial infection.
If you qualify for the procedure, the dentist will inject local anesthetic into the gums near the affected teeth. This numbs the area completely so you can have a painless root canal. After injecting the anesthetic, the dentist will isolate the infected teeth using a rubber dam. This stops saliva from disrupting the treatment.
The dentist will use a dental drill to create a small hole on the top surface of the decayed tooth. This hole provides access to the pulp cavity. After drilling the hole, the dentist will use a dental file to remove the infected pulp.
After removing the infected pulp, the dentist will irrigate the canals with an antimicrobial solution. Doing so washes away debris and also eliminates any remaining bacteria. Right after, the dentist will fill the canals with a putty-like substance called gutta-percha, and cure it to harden. This marks the end of your root canal.
It’s worth noting that after a root canal some dentists might place dental crowns on the affected teeth. Doing so restores the tooth shape and structural integrity. The dentist will also give you instructions on caring for your teeth after the root canal.
Despite your teeth not hurting, you’ll still need a root canal if you have moderate to severe dental decay. That’s because dental decay doesn’t stop on its own, and only worsens until you take care of it. In short, prolonging the root canal treatment could lead to you losing your teeth.