Root Canal Therapy 101

Root canal therapy has a mistakenly bad reputation for being a long and painful procedure. This can cause many to fear having it done. But the truth is that in modern dentistry, root canal therapy is routine, safe, and much more comfortable than most anticipate! In fact, if you’re experiencing the tooth pain that often indicates root canal therapy is required, you’ll be grateful to have this procedure done. Let’s take a look at what root canal therapy actually is, and how it can help you.

What Is a Root Canal?

A root canal is the pulp chamber that lies within each tooth. Within each chamber resides nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue. If a tooth becomes damaged and bacteria are able to seep into the root canal, pain and infection can occur. This will lead to pulp death, an abscess, and possibly bone or tooth loss. For this reason, root canal therapy is necessary to to eliminate your pain, to preserve your natural tooth, and to protect your oral health.

What Is Root Canal Therapy?

A root canal procedure is common and simple to perform. First, we’ll numb the area to make sure you’re comfortable and pain-free. We then create a small opening in the crown of your tooth to access the pulp. We’ll remove the infected and decaying area and clean out the root canal. Then, we’ll cover the area with a tooth-colored sealing substance or a dental crown that acts as a protective cap for your tooth. This supports your tooth and helps prevent infection from happening again in the root canal.

How Long Is Recovery?

The day of treatment, you may need to rest and take some over-the-counter pain medication. most patients will be back to work or school by the following day. Any discomfort should subside within a day or two.

We Are Ready to Help!

Don’t ignore tooth pain because you are scared of root canal therapy. It could lead to worsening conditions and tooth loss down the line. Here at Elevate Smile Design, we are accustomed to performing safe and effective procedures that will leave you feeling pain-free in almost no time. Contact us today for more information or if you suspect you have an abscess or infection.