Root Canals

The root canal is the cavity present in our teeth that contains the nerves and blood vessels. A root canal infection occurs when a cavity or an injury to a tooth becomes so severe that it infects the dental pulp and the tooth reaches the verge of failure. Root canal therapy is the last option to save a severely decayed tooth.

What are the symptoms of root canal infection?

• The dental pulp gets inflamed and decays
• Throbbing pain near the infected tooth, combined with bleeding and discharge of pus
• The infected tooth would experience elevated levels of sensitivity to cold or hot foods
• Foul breath
• The gums around the tooth tend to swell and inflame
• In severe cases, the tooth may loosen from its socket due to jawbone deterioration, resulting in tooth loss.

How is root canal therapy performed?

A well-trained endodontist performs root canal therapy. The endodontist diagnoses the tooth to understand the severity of the infection and takes x-rays to check for any signs of bone deterioration. The tooth and the surrounding soft tissues are numbed using local anesthesia to prevent pain and discomfort during the procedure.

A tiny hole is made on the infected tooth, and dental files are used to extract the infected pulp from within the cavity. Since the microbes could adhere to the root canal cavity walls, we would scrub them using the files. We will place a small amount of antibiotic medication in the cavity to prevent the infection from surfacing again. The hole will be sealed off using a tooth-colored filling.

Post therapy care

After root canal therapy, the tooth would tend to become weaker as it has no nourishment. It can break, chip, or crumble when you bite or chew something hard. Hence, the dentist will usually place a restoration on the tooth, such as a dental crown. The crown will hold the tooth intact and prevent it from sustaining damage.

Eating foods that are too hot or cold should be avoided for a couple of weeks after the therapy. Also, avoiding chewing food on the side of the treated tooth will keep you from enduring pain and will allow the tooth to heal. Maintaining optimum oral health by brushing and flossing is essential to avoid the chances of infection.

To have a consultation with our team of dentists, please call our office at (770) 995-0538 or schedule an online consultation, and we’ll guide you further.