Perhaps the most terrifying thing for most dental patients is hearing two tiny words: “root canal.” This procedure can absolutely be intimidating, but we go to great lengths to ensure you’re comfortable and calm and that you have a positive experience with us. Using the latest technology and techniques, including appropriate levels of dental sedation, our goal is to take the fear out of this notorious procedure.
Why Have a Root Canal?
Sometimes a toothache is just a toothache, but sometimes it’s a sign of deep infection in your mouth. A root canal is a procedure that helps stop infection and decay in their tracks, so that you won’t have to experience even worse problems with gum or jaw infections.
The goal of a root canal is to save your tooth and spare you the agony of ongoing mouth infection. The only other option would be removal of the tooth and replacement with an artificial tooth, using dental implants or similar technology. Generally, the longer you can keep your natural teeth, the better your oral health will be over the long term.
What Happens During a Root Canal?
Patients ask this question fairly often, with a great deal of trepidation. After all, root canals are miserable, aren’t they?
Actually, they needn’t be. In fact, our highly trained dental staff starts by administering local anesthetics, and if that’s not enough for you, we can provide sedation dentistry to help reduce your anxiety before and during the procedure.
Once you’re properly numbed, we’ll clean out the infection from inside your tooth and immediately refill the area with either a permanent or temporary filling to prevent further problems from developing. Which type of filling you get often depends on how extensively the interior of your tooth was cleaned.
You will get a permanent filling as part of the procedure, then a crown to help strengthen the tooth. All of these steps help ensure your root canal delivers a tooth that’s been restored to its prime, and with minimal tenderness and irritation. Now that’s not so scary, is it?