Root Canal Treatment
Root canals are one of the most avoided procedures in dentistry. With the aid of sedation dentistry, a patient undergoing root canal therapy can actually be comfortable and relaxed. And after a successful root canal therapy, a patient will be free of the excruciating pain associated with an infected tooth.
Extracting a tooth is a last resort for the dentists at Manus Dental; no one wants to lose a tooth. Once a tooth is extracted, the replacement methods are often stressful and expensive. Root canal therapy is a treatment method taken to preserve the natural tooth.
Root Canal Therapy Procedure:
- Root canal therapy generally requires more than one visit
- An x-ray will be taken to evaluate the tooth and root canal, looking for signs of infection in surrounding areas
- Our dentist will give you a form of anesthesia to make you more relaxed
- Our dentist will drill an access hole into the tooth, then the infected tissue and damaged nerve, and any debris is removed from the tooth
- Our dentist then thoroughly cleans and polishes the root canal
- The tooth may be temporarily sealed to keep out food and saliva between appointments
- Our dentist then fills the root canal with a biocompatible rubber compound called gutta percha
- A dental filling is placed on the tooth to cover the access hole created at the start of treatment
- In some cases, the tooth may be covered with a dental crown to provided added strength
The term “root canal” actually refers to the natural cavity at the center of the tooth. This area may become damaged, allowing bacteria or debris to cause an infection or in extreme cases, an abscess.
An abscessed tooth is a very serious condition where the root canal is filled with pus, spreading infection beyond the root of the tooth. If you believe you have an abscessed tooth, contact our office immediately to schedule emergency care to avoid having infection spread to other parts of the body.
If you suspect you need root canal therapy, please contact our office to schedule an appointment.