When a tooth is infected, you need more than just a filling or crown. Instead, you need an endodontic treatment to address the dangers in the interior of the tooth. You need a root canal! In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about how we can save smiles with our root canal procedures.
The Link Between Infection and Tooth Loss
A tooth becomes infected when bacteria reach the pulp, the nerve center of your tooth. This could happen due to an untreated cavity that allows decay to spread through the tooth, or even an injury to the tooth that compromises the outer enamel. When the infection occurs, you may experience painful tooth sensitivity, toothaches, swelling, pain in the face or jaw, or even a discharge from the tooth itself. Without treatment, the infection will grow so severe the tooth needs to be extracted to prevent the spread of infection, or it could fall out. But with a root canal treatment, we can save the tooth and protect your smile!
The Root Canal Procedure
The procedure is a simple one, and most patients find it comparable to receiving a simple dental filling. To start, our team will open the tooth to access and remove the infected tissues from within. We then clean the interior of the tooth and the root canals thoroughly, before we add a special filling known as gutta percha. The last step is to cap the tooth with a dental crown. The restoration will be custom-made from durable and lifelike materials, such as ceramic. This can handle daily bite forces, and be shaded to blend with your smile seamlessly.
Keeping You Comfortable
We want to ensure the procedure is a comfortable one, which is why we offer local anesthesia to the area being treated to numb it. If you have dental anxiety about the procedure, or if you have factors that make undergoing treatment difficult for you, we could also suggest sedation, choosing an option that helps you enter a deep state of calm and relaxation, with little to no memory of the procedure at all.
If you have any questions about how we conduct a root canal to save your infected tooth and bring relief or discomfort, then contact our team today to learn more. We look forward to helping you find relief from discomfort, and to ensure you have a strong and healthy smile, with results that look natural too!
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR ENDODONTIC TREATMENTS?
We want to offer treatment to save your infected tooth and keep your smile complete. To find out more about how our team safeguards your overall oral health, you can call Dr. Browne in Prairie Village, KS, at 913-901-8585.
