Root Canal Treatment
If you are experiencing severe pain in your mouth, this may signal that there is a problem and it needs to be addressed. Root canal treatment is a procedure that involves the removal or the tooth pulp and the nerves within the root of the tooth. The nerves and pulp are located on the interior of the tooth. If you think that you need to have a root canal performed, call Dr. Hwang now. If you are experiencing any type of centralized pain in a single tooth or your tooth in question is sensitive to cold or hot items, it is important to let us know. Root canal procedures are important because they remove the interior of the tooth – the portion that causes problems. Once the interior has been removed, the tooth will be cleaned out and then sealed to protect it. If you do not receive a root canal treatment when it is needed, you may experience more problems.
When you come into Eten Dental in Bayside, you will have a root canal performed, should it be needed. If you do not need a root canal, but your tooth is bothering you, you may need another type of procedure. If you plan to have a root canal, you will need to come into our office twice. Each appointment will take anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. The length of time you will be in our Bayside office will depend on the severity of the root canal and how many are needed.
When you arrive in our Bayside office, you never must worry about a thing. We know that a root canal sounds like a scary procedure, but it is not and most patients compare it to a filling. At your appointment, Dr. Hwang will give you a local anesthetic in the area to numb the tooth and the surrounding tissues. Should the tooth be in a sensitive place, you may receive a topical anesthetic first before you receive the injection.
Once the number has taken effect, Dr. Hwang will start to perform the procedure. Dr. Hwang will gain access to your tooth using a specialized tool that allows for a hole to be made at the top of the crown. Once the hole is made, Dr. Hwang will use the same tool to remove the pulp and nerves from the interior of the tooth. After that, the inside of your tooth will be completely cleaned out to remove bacteria and then sealed for protection.
It is important that you work with a trained and professional dentist like Dr. Hwang. A poorly trained dentist may miss some of the bacteria and this means that the tooth can re-infect and you may need to have a second root canal performed on it. If your tooth’s structure is not sound or the tooth cannot stand on its own, you may need a crown. The crown will be placed over the tooth to act as a secondary support for it.
Root canal procedures are not painful, but some patients experience discomfort and others complain of sensitivity to the tooth. This will subside on its own, but Dr. Hwang will prescribe medication, as needed.
Why Have a Root Canal?
There are many reasons why you may need to have a root canal performed on your teeth. Below, we will look at some of those reasons.
- Restoration
If you need to receive a crown over one of your teeth, you may need to have a root canal performed on that tooth. While this is not common, it does happen and Dr. Hwang will let you know if this is the case. The reason a root canal may be needed is when the tooth needs to be shaped for the crown to fit. Shaping the tooth will mean that some of the enamel needs to be removed and to do that, Dr. Hwang may need to get close to the tooth’s pulp. Sometimes, the pulp is simply removed through the root canal procedure to prevent further issues that may arise with the tooth later down the road.
- Severe Dental Decay
If you have dental decay, you may need a root canal performed, especially if the decay is down to the center of the tooth. Decay that does not receive care in its first stages will eat down into the interior of the tooth and cause pain. This damage cannot be undone and a filling will not work at this point, so a root canal must be performed.
- Infection
Your tooth may develop an infection inside of it and this means that the only way to correct the issue is to remove the pulp. For the pulp to be removed, a root canal will need to be performed to get rid of the infection. An infection that appears along the nerve of the root can be painful and needs immediate treatment. These types of infections arise occasionally and can be caused for any number of reasons.
- Pain
Tooth pain is often the first sign that there is a problem. The pain will be especially present when you consume any food that is hot or cold. You may even experience severe sensitivity on the single tooth in question. Sometimes, sensitivity is the only warning sign that you will receive, even if pain is not present. You should always have a sensitive tooth looked at by a local Bayside dentist.
Call for an Appointment Today
If you think that you need to have a root canal, it is important that you work with a qualified and trained dentist. Dr. Hwang has many years of experience and has performed thousands of root canals in his Bayside office. If you would like to discuss your options, now is the time to call Eten Dental to schedule your FREE consultation. Our team is here for you and is prepared to work closely with you to make sure that you receive the dental care you need, when you need it.