Root Canals

Root Canals

Root canals repair and save a tooth that has become badly decayed or infected. The root and pulp of the tooth are removed and the area inside is thoroughly cleaned and sealed preventing further decay or infection. It is then often fitted with a custom crown and post to ensure the strength and durability of the tooth.

Dental care has come a long way since the old days. Teeth with infected pulp no longer have to be extracted. We provide a root canal procedure that will keep you from losing a tooth. Root canals are simple dental procedures that remove infected, damaged, and painful nerves inside of a tooth. In many cases, a root canal treatment can often be finished in one office visit. We can provide most root canal treatments in our office without a referral. Best of all, a root canal will preserve your tooth and your smile!

When a tooth becomes damaged or develops severe cavities, it becomes susceptible to infection within the pulp tissue. When the pulp is infected, a toothache or abscess can occur. When left untreated, the infection can become very serious. The purpose of a root canal treatment is to remove the infected pulp and nerve tissue inside the tooth and prevent infection from spreading to other parts of the body.

Luckily, the presence of a tooth’s nerve is not crucial to the overall health and function of the tooth. The main role of the nerve is to send hot and cold sensations to the brain. After the nerve is removed during a root canal treatment, the tooth is still able to function normally on a day-to-day basis.

A common misconception is that a tooth in need of a root canal is in constant pain. In reality, the tooth could either be painful or cause little to no pain at all. In addition to pain, other possible symptoms of a tooth infection can include pain while chewing, sensitivity to temperature, tooth discoloration, or swollen and tender gums. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, a dentist should examine you immediately.

In cases when the pulp of the tooth becomes infected, the only alternative to root canal therapy is extraction. An extraction is when the entire tooth and roots are completely removed, leaving a space between the teeth. Once the tooth is extracted, the dentist can replace the missing tooth with a partial denture, bridge, or an implant. Even though tooth replacement technology has come a long way, there is no substitute for a patient’s own healthy, natural teeth.
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