Root Canal
Don’t let your fear stand in your way. Saving your tooth with a root canal can save you:
- Time
- Money
- Future dental procedures
Root canals are recommended for treating severe decay, infected or abscessed teeth. The term root canal usually sparks a negative reaction from people even if they’ve never had one before. Root canals have a bad reputation mostly from hearsay, but a root canal could save your natural tooth, time, and money in the long run.
Beneath the hard exterior of your teeth is a soft deposit of tissue called pulp. This pulp can become inflamed and damage the roots of your tooth if left unchecked, so a root canal procedure may be required to save your tooth.
During your root canal procedure, your dentist will use a local anesthetic to numb the area and the tooth affected. A small opening is made in your tooth so your dentist can use instruments to clean the pulp from the root canals and any infected tissue.
Once the infection has been removed, the space is filled with a sealant, usually a material called gutta-percha, and cemented with an adhesive to protect the root canal and roots of your tooth. Your dentist will also place a temporary filling to seal the access point created at the start of the procedure, and that temporary filling will be replaced with a crown later.
Root canals give you the opportunity to save the natural teeth you have even after a severe infection. Maintaining your natural teeth and smile may reduce the cost and frequency of future dental procedures and allow you to continue chewing normally and enjoying your natural smile.
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We look forward to helping you get the smile you dream about!