Oh no, you went to the dentist and they said you need a root canal! The dreaded root canal treatment. Now before you get too anxious and cancel your appointment, let’s slow down a little and understand that they are not what they used to be. Yes, these used to be a barbaric experience, however now with modern technology, a root canal isn’t painful at all. In fact, not getting the procedure done and continuing to have a decayed tooth is more of a pain and dangerous nonetheless.
Our job here at Lakeview Dental of Coral Springs is to identify the cause of the pain and discomfort you may be experiencing and address it. Every wish of a root canal dentist is to save as many teeth as possible, and root canal therapy does just that. The purpose is to clear away any infection and inflammation essentially allowing the tooth to function with optimal viability.
A root canal treatment can be needed if a tooth has a deep cavity or is cracked in an area, allowing bacteria to enter the healthy portion of the inside of the tooth also called the pulp chamber. If this happens, the tooth becomes compromised and weakened. This can develop into a serious condition allowing an abscess to form around the root tips and cause further damage and pain to your jaw. An antibiotic may be prescribed by your root canal dentist before the procedure to help heal the abscess.
A very common misconception is that when you have pain with a tooth it means activity! Believe it or not, a cavity does indeed not cause the typical tooth pain. Don’t worry, if you would like to know more information on a tooth fillings we would love to inform you more, you can click here. You may be in need of root can therapy if you are exhibiting some signs and symptoms like tenderness to touch, discomfort when biting down and chewing, tooth discoloration, sensitivity to cold and hot that is prolonged lasting longer than a couple of seconds before going away. You could also experience signs around the actual tooth like the gums and surrounding bone, you may also have drainage from the lymph nodes as well. In some cases, you may have no symptoms at all.
Root canal therapy is completed in a two-part process. The first appointment is to address the decay, cleaning and disinfecting the inside of the tooth meaning the inside of the pulp chamber which is above the gumline and the internal portion of the roots of the tooth. We always aim to make sure you are comfortable and your visit is as pleasant as can be so local anesthetic is used to numb the area and ease the anxiety of your visit with us. The roots and pulp chamber are filled with a sealant to protect from saliva. Following the procedure there may be some soreness which is normal, over the counter medication can help for any pain or discomfort. Your second appointment consist of placing a crown over the tooth to protect it from further damage.
The permanent dental crown looks just like your natural surrounding teeth and is undetectable. In just two visits, you can get back to a healthier mouth. Don’t forget to brush twice a day and floss daily to aid in the prevention of having to get a root canal treatment done. The approximate cost of a basic root canal therapy will vary depending which tooth is being treated, a molar is typically more difficult to treat considering its multiple roots that require attention. The cost is also determined by how many teeth need addressing. For more information on what payment options our clinic offers, please feel free to click the link here.