Root Canals – Symptoms That Indicate a Need for a Root Canal
A root canal is a dental treatment that removes infected or injured pulp from the inner part of your tooth. It’s also called endodontic treatment or “root canal therapy” and can save your tooth from a painful infection and avoid the need for extraction.
A Toothache That Doesn’t Go Away When a tooth is damaged by an injury, decay or significant nerve tissue damage, the soft center of the tooth (the pulp) can become infected and inflamed. This is a serious condition and needs to be treated immediately.
The best Sarasota Root Canal Specialist will listen to your symptoms, examine your teeth and perform other tests as needed. They may take X-rays to help them diagnose the problem and plan your treatment.
Symptoms that indicate a root canal are pain when you chew, pressure, sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures or swelling in the area around the affected tooth. Contact our office right away if you have these symptoms so we can determine if you need a root canal and get you the relief you need!
Persisting Toothaches After Biting Down If your toothache has lasted for weeks or months, it’s a sign that the infection inside of the tooth has reached its roots. This is a serious infection that can cause severe pain and even lead to the loss of the tooth if left untreated.
Abscesses After Root Canal When an abscess forms, it’s often the result of an infection in the root of a tooth. This is a dangerous infection that can spread quickly to nearby teeth and gums.
Sometimes an abscess can cause severe toothaches and make it difficult to eat, speak or smile normally. If an abscess is removed by a root canal, the pain should disappear and you can resume your normal activities.
Getting Your Tooth Back After a Root Canal
When you have a root canal, your tooth’s infected nerve tissue is removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned, shaped and filled. Eventually, the tooth is sealed to prevent re-infection.
There are a few steps involved in the procedure, and most are relatively painless. The initial step is to numb the tooth and surrounding gums with local anesthetic. A rubber dam is placed to keep saliva from flowing into the area, and a hole is drilled into the tooth.
The infected tissue is then removed and the empty canals are filled with a biocompatible material. The area is then shaped and rinsed with water or sodium hypochlorite solution.
You’ll be given pain medication to numb any remaining discomfort and told how to care for your tooth after the procedure. You can usually return to work or school the day after a root canal, but it’s important to take care of your treated tooth until it is completely healed and you receive a permanent restoration from our office.
A tooth’s roots are the long, thin tubes that extend into your jawbone. Front teeth have one root, while molars and premolars have two or more. Each tooth has its own unique set of roots, which are anchored in the bone to hold it in place.