Dental Root Canals
Dental Root Canals
Here at 3rd South Dental, we work with you to keep your smile healthy and strong. However, sometimes the unfortunate can happen to us. Luckily, there is no need to worry! Our team has some of the best training and is ready to assist you with any restorative treatment that you may need, including dental root canals. Sometimes, a root canal is the only way to save a tooth, but the procedure is not as scary as it sounds with recent technological advancements. If you are in Salt Lake City, Utah, and need to learn more about root canals, give us a call today!
About Dental Root Canals
A root canal is a type of endodontic treatment. We use endodontic treatments when dealing with a condition inside the tooth. We recommend a root canal when there is an infection inside the tooth, generally in the pulp. The pulp is the soft fleshy part of the inside of the tooth. It is filled with several different blood vessels and nerve endings. When damaged, they can cause severe pain and sensitivity in your mouth. The pulp of your tooth is located underneath your white enamel, in the middle of a hard layer called dentin that makes up most of the rest of your tooth.
What Causes Pulp Infections?
The pulp can become infected because of an untreated cavity or severe trauma to the tooth, which has caused it to fracture and decay to set in. If the infection is at the dentist's stage to remove the tooth, the patient will undergo a root canal. A root canal is a process of removing the damage in the pulp and restoring your tooth to its full strength.
Symptoms
Signs you may have an infection and need a root canal include:
- Severe toothache.
- Prolonged sensitivity.
- Tooth discoloration (this is the infection showing through your enamel).
- Swelling and pimples on the gums.
If you have any of these symptoms, give us a call, and we will get you in our office for an examination. Don't wait to be seen!
The Procedure
We will use a local anesthetic to begin the procedure to numb the tooth. If you are particularly nervous about the process, ask us about our different sedation options. At 3rd South Dental, you can rest assured you are in the best hands for this procedure. Our dentists understand a patient's anxiety towards this treatment and will do everything possible to be comfortable.
The dentist will then use a small drill to open the top of the tooth. We will remove all of the damaged and infected pulp. The dentist will then thoroughly clean up and dry the root canal. Once the chamber is clean and dry, the dentist will fill it with a rubber-like temporary filling. After a few weeks, a permanent crown will be placed on the tooth to complete the restoration. Your tooth will once again be strong and healthy. You can return to eating your everyday meals and using your tooth to full capacity!
All of us at 3rd South Dental are working hard to give you a smile that will stand the test of time. Sometimes that process will include some hefty dental procedures, but we want to assure you that you are in the best hands possible. If you have any questions or concerns about root canals, don't hesitate to reach out to us! We are more than willing to sit down with you and walk you through each step of the process to make you comfortable. Our team and the technology are the best in the business. See us in Salt Lake City, Utah, today!