Root Canal Save Your Teeth and Spare You the Pain
The Gentle Dentist on the Corner of Orangevale, Folsom, and Fair Oaks
Sometimes your oral health care needs go beyond preventive care, periodontal disease therapy or cosmetic dentistry. The best possible dental treatment for our patients is always the goal of the dentists at Everhart Dentistry, whether it is in our Orangevale office or in the office of a specialist.
Once upon a time, if you had a tooth with a diseased nerve, you'd probably lose that tooth. Today, with a special dental procedure called a root canal therapy you may save that tooth. Inside each tooth is the pulp which provides nutrients and nerves to the tooth, it runs like a thread down through the root. When the pulp is diseased or injured, the pulp tissue dies. If your dentist doesn’t remove it, your tooth gets infected and you could lose it. After the dentist removes the pulp, the root canal is cleaned and sealed off to protect it. Then your dentist places a crown over the tooth to help make it stronger. |
Communities Served
- Orangevale
- Folsom
- Fair Oaks
- Citrus Heights
- Carmichael
- Gold River
- Granite Bay
- Rancho Cordova
- Sacramento
- El Dorado Hills
- Cameron Park
- Roseville
|
Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure for an experienced dentist, with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits. Best of all, it can save your tooth and your smile!
What is root canal treatment?
Your dentist or endodontist uses root canal treatment to find the cause and then treat problems of the tooth's soft core (the dental pulp). Years ago, teeth with diseased or injured pulps were removed. Today, root canal treatment has given dentists a safe way of saving teeth.
What is the dental pulp?
The pulp is the soft tissue that contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue. It lies within the tooth and extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the root in the bone of the jaws.
What happens if the pulp gets injured?
An abscessed (infected) tooth caused by tooth decay. When the pulp is diseased or injured and can't repair itself, it dies. The most common cause of pulp death is a cracked tooth or a deep cavity. Both of these problems can let germs (bacteria) enter the pulp. Germs can cause an infection inside the tooth. Left without treatment, pus builds up at the root tip, in the jawbone, forming a "pus-pocket" called an abscess. An abscess can cause damage to the bone around the teeth.
Why does the pulp need to be removed?
When the infected pulp is not removed by your dentist or endodontist, pain and swelling can result. Certain byproducts of the infection can injure your jaw bones. Without treatment, your tooth may have to be removed.
What does root canal treatment involve?
Treatment often involves from one to three visits. During treatment, your general dentist or endodontist (a dentist who specializes in problems of the pulp) removes the diseased pulp. The pulp chamber and root canal(s) of the tooth are then cleaned and sealed.
Here's how your tooth is saved through root canal treatment:
-
First, an opening is made through the crown of the tooth.
-
An opening is made through the crown of the tooth into the pulp chamber.
-
The pulp is then removed. The root canal(s) is cleaned and shaped to a form that can be filled.
-
The pulp is removed, and the root canals are cleaned, enlarged and shaped
-
Medications may be put in the pulp chamber and root canal(s) to help get rid of germs and prevent infection. The pulp chamber and root canals are filled and sealed.
-
In the final step, a gold or porcelain crown is usually placed over the tooth. If an endodontist performs the treatment, he or she will recommend that you return to your family dentist for this final step.
-
The crown of the tooth is then restored
Anyone may need root canal therapy. With your help, Everhart Dentistry can lower the odds of your needing root canal work with regularly-scheduled cleanings and checkups, including x-rays. That’s why your dentist is always your first line of defense in fighting tooth decay and disease.
Call Your Dentist for Regular Appointments or Emergency Treatment
An abscessed tooth, or toothache, can happen at any time. The Everhart Dentistry team is available for appointments during the week or emergencies at any other time. Call our Orangevale office at 916-988-0300. We also serve the communities of Cameron Park, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, El Dorado Hills, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Gold River, Granite Bay, Orangevale, Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, and Roseville.
|
