ROOT CANAL TREATMENT
Many patients fear root canal treatment because they think it’s going to be painful. The truth is, the procedure helps get rid of the actual source of their pain: a severe infection.
It’s important not to let misconceptions stop you from getting the treatment when you need it because it could lead to some serious consequences for your dental health. At Roots Dental Studio, our team can provide gentle root canal therapy to prevent the damage from getting worse and to restore your tooth back to its best condition.
What is a Root Canal
Inside each of your teeth is soft tissue called the pulp. This can become infected or inflamed due to a variety of causes like a deep cavity, dental trauma, a crack or chip, or repeated procedures on the same tooth. The purpose of root canal treatment is to clean away the affected material whenever this happens. If the infection or inflammation is left untreated, it can lead to more pain or an abscessed tooth, which when very severe requires an extraction.
Before beginning anything, we numb the treatment area to keep you comfortable during the procedure. Then, we carefully remove the inflamed or infected pulp from inside the tooth. Afterwards, we clean, disinfect, fill, and seal the root canals. This is to ensure that the tooth is protected from further infection. In the final step of the root canal procedure, we restore and strengthen the tooth, most often with a dental crown.
How to Know if Your Tooth Needs a Root Canal?
Wondering how you’ll know if your tooth needs a root canal? Everyone experiences different symptoms, but there are a few common signs you can check for:
Tooth pain (can be mild or severe)
Tooth sensitivity (to hot or cold temperatures)
Tooth discoloration
Tender gums
Swollen gums
Small, pimple-like bump near the tooth
If you notice any of these, it’s best to see a dental professional so they can check out your tooth’s condition in person and take X-rays if necessary. The sooner we can take care of a problem, the better!