Root Canals

What is a root canal?

The goal of a root canal is to alleviate pain and save an infected tooth. If your tooth becomes critically infected from the inside, one of the accomplished dentists at California Happy Teeth Family Dentistry takes out the bacteria and any dead or dying tissue. This way, they can save your tooth and help ease your pain.

What leads to an infection in the tooth root?

An untreated cavity or oral injury can cause infection in the tissue and roots of your teeth. The infected tissue may enter the root or pulp of the tooth if you put off going to the dentist. This can cause a host of other problems if the infection spreads any further, so be sure to seek treatment.

How do I know if I have an infected tooth?

If you don't deal with an infected tooth right away, you'll be welcoming a great deal of pain in the future. You may experience these symptoms when you have an infected tooth:

• Inflamed gums
• Tooth soreness when eating and drinking
• Extreme tooth sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
• Bad breath
• Pus coming from around the tooth
• Painful aching in your mouth or jaw
• Darkening color of the tooth
• A small pimple-like bump on your gum

What's involved in a root canal?

Most often, one of the extremely able dentists at California Happy Teeth Family Dentistry completes the treatment in one or two appointments. You may first need X-rays so the dentist can judge the magnitude of damage to the tooth needing a root canal.

One of the dentists at California Happy Teeth Family Dentistry will use a needle to numb the region and make sure you don't feel anything during the procedure. Sometimes they place a dental dam, or a little piece of rubber, on your tooth to preserve its cleanliness and protect it from bacteria during the procedure. After anesthesia is applied, the dentist makes a tiny cut in your tooth to find and treat the area of infection in the root.

After this, your dentist will clear away the unhealthy and infected pulp, then irrigate the area with water to clean it. Until you return for a permanent crown, your dentist either seals the tooth or applies a temporary filling.

Call California Happy Teeth Family Dentistry or book a consultation online if you have any symptoms or signs of a tooth infection.