Root Canal Therapy

Root canals may seem frightening, but with medical advancements in recent decades and the use of general anesthetic, they are nothing to worry about. In fact, most people experience minimal or no pain at all with the procedure.

Root canal therapy is a frequent procedure that we perform daily to alleviate severe dental pain and save teeth that would otherwise be extracted. They’re usually required when the dental pulp or soft tissue inside the tooth and its root becomes infected due to decay or injury.

What is a Root Canal?

Instead of extracting a damaged tooth, our dentists perform a root canal to save and restore it. The pulp of your tooth might become infected due to an injury or an untreated cavity that becomes highly infected. If you don’t treat this type of infection, it might progress to the point where your tooth will need to be extracted.

However, our goal is always to try to save a tooth first. A root canal is a preventative dental procedure in which we remove the nerve and pulp from the tooth. Once we remove the nerve and pulp, we fill the tooth with an inert material, sealing it off from bacteria.

What are the Benefits of a Root Canal?

A root canal can be beneficial for several reasons:

It can prevent tooth decay by sealing off the tooth from bacteria.
It can help prevent gum disease by removing the nerve tissue that can become infected.
A root canal can help to strengthen the tooth by creating a filling to seal the space.

What are the Reasons for a Root Canal?

Root canals are needed when the nerve of a tooth becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can be caused by deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth. Symptoms that may indicate that a root canal is needed include:

Severe toothache pain upon chewing or applying pressure to the tooth
Unexplained tooth sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
Darkening of the tooth
Swelling of gum tissue near the affected tooth
Tenderness or bumps on gums near the affected tooth

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see Dr. Henry or Dr. Greer to determine if a root canal is necessary. If we recommend a root canal, you can be confident that it is a straightforward procedure with a high success rate. With proper care, your restored tooth can last a lifetime.

Root Canal Process

At Northside Dental Group, we want you to be as comfortable as possible, so here’s a quick rundown of what to expect if you need a root canal. When you come in for a root canal, the first thing we’ll do is inspect your tooth to determine its present state. We use cutting-edge imaging technologies at our office to get a complete picture of your needs before starting any therapy. Following a review of these photos, your root canal will consist of the following steps:

Your doctor will use a local anesthetic to numb the region.
Your doctor will drill a small hole in your tooth to reach the pulp.
They will extract the pulp and clean the tooth’s interior.
The root canals may be shaped and the tooth cleansed.
Finally, your doctor will seal the tooth with a filling.

Following a root canal, most teeth require a dental crown to be fully restored. You may have some heightened sensitivity in the days following your root canal, but this will subside and can be easily managed with over-the-counter medicine.