If you’ve been experiencing painful toothaches accompanied by extreme sensitivity when your teeth are exposed to different temperatures, you might be suffering from an infected tooth root. When an infection spreads down to your tooth roots, the life of the tooth is threatened. Is it possible to save the tooth? That’s where root canal therapy comes in! Root canals play a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy smile.
Why Get a Root Canal?
Root canals have a reputation for being painful, long procedures. Actually, the truth is that they’re not that much different from any other restorative treatment, like getting a cavity filled. A root canal is designed to remove infected tissue from the tooth root and salvage any of the tooth’s natural healthy tissue. Infections typically spread to the root because of an untreated cavity or decay that is caused by poor oral hygiene or trauma.
Signs You Need a Root Canal
Your body will send some signs to alert you when it is invaded by infection. Here are some of the typical signs that indicate you have an infected tooth root.
- Severe toothache that throbs when you bite down
- Sensitivity to hot & cold temperatures
- Tooth discoloration
- Painful, swollen, or bleeding gums
- Bad taste in mouth
- Bad breath
- Chips or cracks in teeth
- Wiggly tooth
- Gumline abscess
Procedure for Root Canal Therapy
Before you get root canal therapy, Dr. Ricky Tin will take x-rays of your tooth to identify the extent of the infection in your tooth. Our team will then carefully numb the area around your tooth to help make your procedure pain free. During the procedure, we will dry the area around your tooth and drill a small hole into it to access the infected tissue. Next Dr. Tin will flush out all of the infected tissue, replacing it with a substance called gutta percha before sealing up the tooth. Depending on the extent of the damage to your tooth, we may close out the procedure with either a filling or a crown. If a crown is needed, we offer Cerec Same Day crowns.
Caring for Your Tooth After a Root Canal
It’s common to feel pain or sensitivity around your tooth after root canal therapy, and you can use over-the-counter pain medication to help with it. Our team will give you thorough aftercare instructions to help you heal faster. Once your tooth is healed, you can proceed with your regular dental care regimen. Be sure to brush and floss your teeth thoroughly twice a day to prevent infection and visit Villa Vista Dental twice a year to prevent or treat cavities in their early stages.
Affordable Root Canal Therapy in Elk Grove, CA
If you are experiencing symptoms of a root canal infection, contact our office to schedule a consultation right away. We promise you that the pain of an ongoing infection and subsequent tooth extraction are far worse than root canal therapy! Villa Vista Dental proudly offers a variety of financing options to make our services affordable. Our staff is always willing to help answer any questions you might have about your visit, so don’t hesitate to give us a call. We look forward to seeing you!
Root canals eliminate pain & save your tooth!
