How to Know If You Need a Root Canal

Root canal therapy is used by Dental Express in San Diego, CA to repair and save teeth that are badly infected or decayed. Many patients fear that a root canal will be painful. However, the discomfort that occurs before treatment is said to be much more uncomfortable than the treatment itself. Dental Express uses modern solutions to help improve and restore our patients’ oral health with endodontic treatments.

Causes for a root canal

A tooth’s pulp becomes inflamed, infected, or irritated due to cracked, chipped tooth, or damaged teeth as well as large fillings. Untreated cavities allow bacteria to work its way to the center of the tooth infecting the pulp. This pulp contains nerve cells, blood vessels, and connective tissue that causes pain to signal that there is a problem in the tooth. While pain may go away, the infection itself won’t. This can lead to the development of a dental abscess that can systemic health problems throughout your body. Any opening in a tooth will give bacteria a chance to access the pulp. When someone feels this pain, it’s important to visit Dental Express in San Diego, CA for immediate dental care.

Signs you need a root canal

There are many symptoms and signs that you need a root canal. They include:

• Prolonged tooth sensitivity

• Discolorations on a tooth

• Severe tooth pain while biting or chewing

• Swollen or tender gums

While these are signs that a root canal may be needed, in some cases, there aren’t any symptoms at all. This makes it important to have regular comprehensive dental examinations and routine dental cleanings to make sure your oral health is at its best.

How long does a root canal take?

At Dental Express in San Diego, CA, we take care to provide the most comfortable and professional dental experience for our patients. This means that we take the time needed to perform all of our treatments properly. An x-ray allows us to see whether or not you require root canal therapy.

When we determine you need a root canal, we will numb the area with a local anesthesia. Once you are numb, we will make an opening on the crown of the tooth. Next, we thoroughly clean the pulp from the pulp chamber and root canals. Next, we shape the space for the filling material. This adhesive cement is placed there to ensure that the root canals are sealed off so no other bacteria can get inside the tooth. A temporary filling is placed to close the opening. A crown is used to restore the tooth completely, which will take a few weeks to create. Once it is ready, the temporary is removed and the permanent restoration is cemented in place. This will save your tooth.

Is a root canal painful?

Getting a root canal won’t cause any more discomfort or pain than a filling. The pain leading up to visiting Dental Express can be more severe than any felt during or after endodontic treatment. A root canal is known to relieve this pain.

Alternatives to root canal therapy

An alternative to root canal therapy is extraction. However, our professional team at Dental Express in San Diego, CA believes it’s better to save our patients’ teeth. We have a high success rate with root canal therapy and saving a tooth helps to prevent other problems such as loss of bone or teeth shifting. The best way to avoid root canals is to keep the teeth free of tooth decay with regular brushing and flossing.

Treat your tooth pain with a root canal

When you’re experiencing tooth pain, tender or painful gums, and tooth sensitivity, our knowledgeable team at Dental Express in San Diego, CA can perform a thorough dental exam. We will determine the cause of your pain and offer you appropriate treatment methods, which may include a root canal, that can resolve your pain. Routine dental care will allow you to feel your best all of the time. Make an appointment at a convenient Dental Express location near you to resolve your toothache with a root canal.