When is a root canal needed?

Root canals are needed when decay or a crack in the tooth progresses far enough into the tooth and reaches the nerve. The pain that most people experience when this happens is due to the nerve itself being damaged and will be felt as a shooting, throbbing, or stabbing pain. Since the infection is happening within the tooth, you may not be able to see damage, but you may feel it or notice other signs such as bleeding, swelling, and bad breath.

If left untreated, you will lose the tooth or risk the infection spreading further into the body, which can result in more extensive treatment than a root canal would require.

What happens during a root canal?

After conducting a thorough examination and determining a root canal is the best treatment option, we will schedule your procedure. During the procedure we will remove the infected pulp which is no longer needed for the tooth to function properly. Next, we will clean the inside of the tooth and flush out any remaining bacteria. Afterward, we will fill and seal your tooth and place either a crown or filling onto your tooth to restore it. The treatment and number of visits can vary depending on the severity of your infection. However, due to the technology our office has invested in, most root canal and crown appointments can be completed in one visit lasting around 2 hours.

If you think you may have an infected tooth or are experiencing pain and other symptoms, schedule an appointment immediately for us to take a look. Treatments are quicker, easier, and often more cost-effective if caught early on.

For more information on root canals or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office today at (931) 526-4912.