Root canals are everyone’s least favorite dental procedure, and a common reason why some people avoid the dentist altogether. The necessity of a root canal is usually a sign that years of poor dental hygiene has finally reached a painful end.
Although root canals are not anyone’s favorite thing to do, skilled San Diego dentist Dr. Jennifer Santoro works with the most specialized endodontists in San Diego to ensure a pleasant yet extremely thorough endodontic procedure. These specialists use the most advanced techniques to shorten the duration and lessen the discomfort to this tooth-saving procedure.
Root Causes
When a tooth becomes inflamed or infected, a root canal may be the only way to heal the tooth and preserve it. Dental decay that is ignored or untreated will spread deep into the tooth, ultimately reaching the inner nerve. The nerve may also be exposed to air and microbes as a result of trauma, cracking or chipping of the tooth, or a crown or filling that has leaked over time.
Fractures or decay can lead to an even more painful condition known as an abscess. As the nerve begins to die in the tooth, an infection develops that builds pressure in the tooth and magnifies pain. Here, too, a root canal will be necessary.
Warning signs for an infected tooth include pain, changes in tooth color, swelling of the gums in a pimple-like configuration, sudden sensitivity to hot or cold foods, and changes in jaw function, including difficulty chewing and biting down.
Saving Your Tooth
During a root canal, your endodontist saves the infected or inflamed tooth by drilling through the top of the tooth; removing the interior nerve, lymph tissue and blood vessels; eliminating the infection; disinfecting the chamber; and securing the tooth with a strong, rubber-like filling.
The key to the success of a root canal is to thoroughly clean the entire length of the root. In addition to the narrow drill that is used to remove infected parts of the tooth interior, your endodontist will rely on a special probe known as an apex locator to identify the tip of the root.
Once all pulp and debris are removed, the chamber will be sealed with a special biocompatible material known as gutta-percha. The gutta-percha is applied with a “heat gun” and allowed to expand and harden over a period of about 15 minutes. The tooth is then covered with a crown to create an air-tight seal that protects the tooth from further exposure to air and microbes. Some anterior teeth can be permanently filled with a composite resin, rather than a crown, to seal the root canal. In some cases, a temporary filling will be used to give the tooth additional time to heal.
The procedure not only restores the health of the tooth, but also frees you from intense pain. When infection or trauma has caused extreme damage to a tooth, however, an extraction may be the only option.
To schedule your appointment, or to learn more about root canals, call Dr. Santoro at (858) 566-8510, or email Village Center Dentistry in Scripps Ranch today.
