Root Canal Therapy

Patients often feel fearful when they hear that they need root canal therapy, and it’s because this treatment is typically associated with pain.

The truth is that root canal therapy is widely misunderstood because it actually relieves your pain. It’s really the infection in your tooth that causes your discomfort.

When you understand more about this procedure, you’ll see that it’s truly helpful in preserving your oral health.

Why Do I Need a Root Canal?

When your tooth becomes fractured or compromised, bacteria and decay may reach the interior, or pulp, of your tooth and cause an infection. This is when your tooth will begin to feel sensitive to hot and cold foods or beverages. If this condition is left untreated, the infection will spread to other areas of your body and could even lead to tooth loss.

What Happens during Root Canal Therapy?

When you have a root canal, our doctors will remove the infected tissue through a small access hole located in the top of your tooth. Once the infection is thoroughly cleaned out, your tooth will be sealed with a temporary filling and allowed time to heal. After the tooth has healed, you’ll return to our office to have your tooth restored with a permanent filling or crown.

Does Root Canal Therapy Hurt?

Modern dentistry has made many advances to ensure your root canal goes smoothly. Dental anesthetics will be used to make sure that you don’t feel anything during your procedure, and our doctors utilize rotary endodontic tools to make your procedure more comfortable and efficient.

Rotary endodontics involves an electric hand tool made from nickel-titanium rather than the stainless steel that is used in traditional hand tools. Nickel-titanium is more flexible and makes it easier to access the canal housing your infected root. The electric tools are faster and quieter, which makes root canal therapy more comfortable for the patient.

How to Avoid a Root Canal

In many cases, the need for root canal therapy can often be avoided with prevention. For example, if we detect decay in your tooth at a routine visit, a dental filling can typically alleviate your issue. If your decay remains untreated, it will progress and may eventually reach the root of your tooth, causing the need for root canal therapy.

At Appleton Dental Care, we’re here to help you no matter what type of dental situation you may be facing. Dental infections won’t go away without treatment, and root canal therapy can save your tooth from extraction.

We hope that regular preventative visits will help you avoid many dental conditions; however, if you’re experiencing sensitivity or pain, please don’t hesitate to call us right away.