Do you feel pain in your tooth or notice gum sensitivity or swelling? You could be in need of root canal therapy. Our Washington dentist will carefully remove the infected or damaged pulp from inside the tooth, reseal it, and place a dental crown if necessary.
Here’s what you need to know about root canal therapy.
What Is Dental Pulp?
The center section of a tooth that contains connective tissues, blood vessels, and cells is known as dental pulp. Pulp is responsible for nourishing the tooth and is located inside of a tooth’s root canal, hence the procedure’s name.
When the pulp becomes infected, damaged, or badly decayed, intense pain and serious issues can occur. One of which is a dental abscess, or pus-filled pocket that originates at the tip of the tooth’s root. Abscesses are painful and can be life-threatening if not treated as soon as possible.
Signs You May Need Root Canal Therapy
Pulp can be negatively affected by a variety of things such as severe decay, a cracked tooth, facial trauma, or more. Despite the cause, however, the symptoms are often the same and require immediate dental attention.
Root canal therapy may be necessary if you’re experiencing:
- Extreme pain when chewing or biting down
- High sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures for prolonged periods
- Tooth discoloration
- Gum swelling and tenderness
- Bulging, pimple-like swelling on gums
It is also not uncommon for no symptoms to be present. This is why it is important to visit our office for a dental checkup every six months so our dentist can monitor your oral health.
What to Expect During the Procedure
Depending on the severity of your condition, the may require more than one appointment to finish. Our dentist will be sure to make you aware of any additional visits, if necessary.
Regardless, the procedure can be broken down into three major steps. Those include:
- First, our dentist will start by numbing the area with a local anesthetic so you feel relaxed and comfortable. A small hole will then be made on the surface of the tooth to remove the decay and dead pulp tissue inside.
- The hollowed area will be cleaned, shaped, and decontaminated using small dental tools and irrigation solutions. After this has been done, a rubber-like material is used to fill the tooth and an adhesive cement seals the canal.
- Either a tooth-colored filling or dental crown is placed to protect the now fragile tooth. If a crown is needed, a temporary one will be used until a finalized version is fabricated.
Get Relief From Tooth Pain
You should never ignore or brush aside tooth pain, pardon the pun. If a tooth is causing you discomfort after biting down or you notice a pimple-like swelling on your gums, our , may recommend root canal therapy. Contact us online today or call Romeo Family Dentistry at (586) 752-3589 to schedule an appointment.