When they hear the words “root canal,” many people become anxious and fearful. A root canal is a highly effective method for saving a damaged tooth, but in days past, it was a dreaded dental procedure.
Thankfully, when under the care of the highly trained dentists at Complete Dentistry, you can save a tooth comfortably, painlessly, and swiftly.
A root canal treatment addresses infection in the “pulp” of the tooth, the softer inner portion, where the blood vessels and nerves of the tooth are located. Unfortunately, this pulp of the tooth can be affected by a bacterial infection. This may occur due to a cavity creating an access point through which bacteria enters, or due to a break or chip in a tooth, or a cracked or damaged older filling.
Once the infection enters the pulp, several symptoms appear, including a throbbing toothache, fever, swelling, or worse. A root canal treats this dangerous health condition and could save the tooth, so it doesn’t need to be extracted. The infected inner area is carefully removed, replaced with a special dental material, and in most cases, a custom dental crown placed over the tooth to maintain integrity and strength.
After your procedure is completed, the jaw and tooth may feel sensitive. Pain medication and antibiotics could be prescribed to ensure you are comfortable and pain-free. The recovery time is usually uneventful and not particularly painful, requiring only over the counter medication, if any. You can expect one to two days of minor sensitivity as the gums and teeth settle.
Is a root canal painful?
Will I need more than one appointment?
Why is a root canal better than an extraction?
When under the care of the professionals at Complete Dentistry, you will not experience pain or discomfort during your treatment – we care about our patients, and ensure they are completely comfortable, from start to finish.
Every patient is different. Some patients do not need a crown, and may require only a filling, while others need a crown to complete the process. We offer same-day CEREC crowns, as well as custom lab-created crowns, which require a second appointment. A temporary crown is placed while a custom lab-manufactured crown is made and placed, typically about two weeks later.
If a tooth can be saved, it should be. When a tooth is extracted, the other teeth can shift, causing further dental problems, and loss of jawline bone density. If the tooth was visible, an extraction leads to obvious aesthetic issues. If the tooth is too damaged to repair with a root canal procedure, we also offer dental implants and other solutions to keep your smile bright and healthy.
