Though they have a reputation for being painful, with current dental technology root canals are performed with little to no discomfort for the patient.
If the nerve or pulp of a tooth has been damaged badly enough by trauma, decay, or large restorations, an infection may occur.
If this happens, the nerve space can usually be cleaned out and sealed to prevent reinfection. This is called a root canal.
Instead of extracting the tooth, this procedure is done to save it. With new dental technology and techniques, root canal therapy can be performed with little or no discomfort.
During the procedure, the tooth is completely numbed with local anesthetic. Then the hollow chamber inside the tooth is cleaned out and disinfected.
Finally, a sealer is placed inside the canals to prevent bacteria from reinfecting the tooth. In most cases, this procedure can be done in one appointment and helps patients keep their teeth for decades.
Symptoms often requiring root canal therapy:
- pain that has lasted long enough to bother you
- heat sensitivity
- cold pain that does not disappear shortly after the cold is removed
- pain that wakes you at night
- pain that is not removed by Tylenol or Advil
- throbbing pain
- swelling around the tooth or on the face
- a pimple that appears on the gum
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