If you’ve been brushing and flossing your teeth diligently and coming into our office as often as you should, so you probably shouldn’t have any dental issues like tooth decay, right? Well, we wish this was always the case because a healthy smile is a happy smile.
Unfortunately, dental issues do arise from time to time despite your best efforts to keep your smile healthy. For example, let’s say that you have a painful toothache. What does that mean? It means that you should schedule a visit with us as soon as possible. A toothache, especially when accompanied by these symptoms, may mean that root canal therapy intervention is needed:
- Tooth sensitivity to pressure
- Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures persisting even after the heat or cold has been removed
- Darkening of a tooth
- A pimple on the gums that won’t go away
- Painful tenderness and swelling in the gums
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is what our exceptional dentist, Dr. James Powell performs to remove an infection happening in the center of a tooth (the tooth pulp). This tooth-saving treatment can prevent a badly infected tooth from being extracted while also relieving any pain and discomfort in the affected tooth. And if the thought of having root canal therapy makes you feel nervous, there is actually no reason to be. Thanks to modern dental technology and techniques, getting root canal therapy done is typically no more uncomfortable than having a dental filling placed!
Benefits of a Root Canal
- Once the treatment is done, the pain you constantly felt will completely go away so you don’t need that ice pack or bottle of pain relievers anymore.
- Since the root canal treatment scrapes out all of the bacteria causing your infection, it can no longer spread.
- Root canal treatment effectively stops the abscess formation in the infected tooth.
- Because you are saving the tooth from extraction, it will still maintain its natural biting force so chewing is optimized again.
- The root canal protects your surrounding teeth from undue wear and tear because the tooth is functioning normally.
- You won’t need to replace the tooth.
What Should I Expect?
When you come in, Dr. Powell will take a look at your tooth with the help of digital X-rays to see how extensive the decay is. Be aware that if your case is complex or severe, our dentist may refer you to a specialist like an endodontist. If this happens, rest assured we will help you find a specialist that will take good care of your tooth.
Whether your root canal treatment is performed at Exceptional Dentistry or at a specialist’s office, the process of treating the tooth is essentially the same no matter where you go. First, a local anesthetic will be given to numb the infected area to make sure you feel comfortable and relaxed. Next, a small hole will be made in the tooth to allow access to the tooth pulp so that the infection can be removed. After the infection is cleared out, the root canals will be cleaned thoroughly. Once that has been done, an antimicrobial medicated solution may be used to reduce the risk of any more infection. Then the tooth will be filled and the access hole sealed with a dental filling. Congratulations! Now your tooth should feel and function normally and be saved from extraction.
What Comes Next?
After your root canal treatment is done, our dentist will be able to restore it by placing a dental crown over it to protect and provide the support needed for your tooth. If as in some cases there is not much tooth structure left after getting your root canal therapy, Dr. Powell may recommend placing a post-and-core foundation to support the crown.
If you find yourself experiencing any issues with your teeth and gums, we welcome you to reach out to our Exceptional Dentistry team at (661) 349-7725 today to learn more. Feel free to contact us today to learn more about root canal treatment in Palmdale, CA, and to schedule your next dental reservation.
