Root Canal? A Happy Ending

If You Need A Root Canal…

It’s a happy ending to a scary story!

Fear of going to the dentist ranks right behind the fears of death and public speaking. An estimated 35 million Americans are so afraid of the dentist that they just refuse a dental appointment. And the phrase most responsible for striking terror in these hearts: Root Canal.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. A painful bout of appendicitis can be relieved by an appendectomy. We can do the same for the pain of an infected tooth!

When a tooth’s crown or root system is damaged by the trauma of a chip, a crack, or by decay, infection gets a foothold. This infection can spread into the tooth and even the bone, leading to pulp death and destruction. This damage hurts. We can STOP the hurting with root canal therapy, usually in one or two visits. And most of the procedure is virtually painless.

How We Do It

We administer local anesthetic; remove the damaged pulp; then clean, enlarge, and sanitize the canal. We seal the tooth temporarily against further attack. On the next visit, we fill the root canal with a special rubber-like material and seal it permanently. Usually, another temporary filling goes in until all restoration is complete. We may prescribe antibiotics until you’re healed up, and we may ask you to come in a year later to make sure the bone has healed and there’s no trace of infection.

So please don’t put it off! While a root canal may never be considered “fun,” it will bring you much-needed relief!

Root Canal Symptoms

Symptoms of tooth inflammation or infection vary. See us if you experience any of the following:

• Severe, relentless toothache
• Tooth sensitivity to cold or hot food or drink
• An enlarged area that drains along the gumline or soft tissue around the tooth
• Pain when biting down on a tooth
• Prolonged pain lasting for minutes after the tooth is exposed to cold
• Spontaneous pain with no discernible cause

P.S.! You may have NO symptoms. If you’re one of the ‘lucky’ ones, you are also the most in need of regular dental checkups. Contact us today!