Root Canals
How an endodontic treatment can fix tooth pain, sensitivity, or swollen gums - without losing any teeth.
Root canal therapy (aka endodontic treatment) is a common procedure with success rates as high as 98%. Despite this, the American Association of Endodontists says 57% of people would rather spend 1 hour in a room with 10 spiders than have a root canal!
We know patients have anxieties about getting it done, so we break down what it is, what to expect, and how to take care of your teeth after the appointment.
What is root canal therapy?
This is a procedure that treats an infected tooth by removing infected structures underneath the gum. Think of it as “mummifying” the tooth.
The tooth has soft tissue under the enamel known as pulp. It’s also where all the blood vessels, nerves, and connecting tissue live. When this area gets infected the pulp gets inflamed. Dr. Daniel will remove all the infections then use a sealing agent inside of the tooth to prevent any reinfections from occurring.
Here’s the problem most patients face.
They start to feel symptoms when the tooth is already infected.
This includes a constant dull or sharp ache that doesn’t seem to go away, tooth pain at night time when laying down, sensitivity to cold that lingers for more than 30 seconds, a boil (or pimple) that develops on the gums. However, in some cases, there are no symptoms at all.
What happens if it’s not treated?
If a tooth needing a root canal is not treated, the infection can increase in size. This leads to bone loss surrounding the teeth, and even tooth loss. And it doesn’t just stop there. It could also affect the adjacent teeth. Extractions are a lot more invasive and costly in the long run. Root canals can prevent that.
In worst-case scenarios, the infection can spread into vital structures that cause swelling and lead to airway blockage, which can be life-threatening.
Dr. Daniel is extremely skilled in performing root canals, and we recommend visiting our dental office as soon as symptoms appear.
What happens during the procedure?
The first part of the procedure involves anesthetizing the tooth.
Once adequate anesthesia has been achieved, a dental blanket (aka dental dam) will be placed around the tooth to keep it nice and dry during the procedure. Dr. Daniel will then remove all the infected internal structures, clean the inside of the tooth with a solution, and then remove all the bacteria.
Depending on which tooth is being treated, the actual procedure may take up to 1-2 hours. Front and middle teeth typically take about 1-1.5 hours, while molars take up to 2 hours.
Think you might need a root canal?