dental services for
fixing teeth
Root Canals
The root canal is the area inside a tooth that contains blood vessels, nerves, and other vital tissue called pulp. The pulp tissue in a healthy tooth allows you to feel temperature and pressure. However, when the pulp of a tooth becomes irreversibly infected, the tooth frequently becomes very painful and will require treatment. Infection untreated can result in pain, tooth loss, abscess, and the spread of infection into the surrounding bone and gums.
Preserving Teeth with a Root Canal
A root canal is a very common endodontic procedure that Dr. Bryan Wingate performs routinely on patients with advanced tooth decay. Symptoms indicating you may require this procedure include tooth sensitivity, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, chronic toothaches, swelling, severe pain in the jaw, and a cracked tooth.
During your procedure, the infected pulp tissue is removed from the tooth, the root canal space is cleaned and disinfected, and then a filling material is placed into the space to keep the area clean and prevent re-infection.
Frequently, and especially on back teeth, a crown may be necessary to seal and strengthen the tooth to inhibit further breaking. Teeth that have had this procedure are by nature more brittle and prone to fracture since they no longer have the nerve and blood supply inside the tooth.
At Forest Acres Dentistry, we often use a 3D X-ray machine (also known as a Cone Beam CT scanner) to obtain a very accurate 3-D image of the internal aspects of a tooth. This tool is very helpful when treating teeth that require a root canal and improves our treatment precision.
We understand that root canals in particular can cause anxiety with many patients. If you have avoided a root canal for some time due to fear, we offer multiple sedation options to help minimize any discomfort or nerves you may feel regarding your appointment.
Have a question or want to make an appointment?
Are you interested in learning more about your teeth? Do you have dental health goals you would like to meet? We would be honored to explore that with you and help you find solutions.
