Root Canals
Tooth decay that reaches the root of your tooth is debilitatingly painful. You may feel pain whenever you bite down, when exposed to hot or cold temperatures, or when doing nothing. This pain can stop you in your tracks, requiring immediate relief. In many instances, the best treatment is a root canal. Sconzo & Sciascia General, Cosmetic, and Family Dentistry offers comprehensive dental services from a caring team of dentists, making us a good choice for a root canal in Brooklyn, NY.
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a procedure that removes damaged pulp from the interior of the tooth and then cleans and disinfects the area before filling and sealing it. For deep infections, this treatment is a way to save the natural tooth while eliminating the infection and lessening your discomfort.
Who Needs Root Canals?
To understand when root canals are necessary, you must first understand the structure of the tooth. The outside layer of the tooth is the enamel, and underneath that, there is a hard layer called dentin. Most cavities and decay go no farther than these initial layers. However, underneath the dentin is a layer of soft tissue, which is called pulp. The pulp contains nerves, blood, and connective tissue. If the infection reaches this layer, it causes severe pain, which is when you need a root canal.
The only way to know for certain that you need a root canal is with a visit to your dentist for X-rays. However, some signs that your problem may be more than a simple filling can fix include:
- Severe pain when you bite
- Sores on the gums (abscesses) that resemble pimples
- Chipped, cracked teeth
- Swollen and tender gums
- Darkening of gum tissue
What to Expect During Root Canal Treatment
If our dental team determines you need a root canal, we will schedule an appointment for the procedure. While it is more invasive than a filling, it doesn’t take much longer than a filling.
At your appointment, we will numb the affected tooth and gum tissue using local anesthesia, which prevents you from feeling any pain during the procedure. If you would like, we can give you some medication to help you relax and feel calm during the procedure.
Once the area is numb, we will drill a hole into the crown and extract the diseased tooth. After carefully clearing out all the pulp, we will disinfect the interior of the tooth to prevent new infections from developing.
After cleaning the area, we will fill the canal with a dental material that’s flexible and durable. We then add a temporary dental filling to protect the tooth from bacteria. We measure the tooth for a crown, which we will place a few weeks after your root canal.
Root Canal Recovery
Root canals can be slightly painful immediately after the procedure. You may need to eat soft foods for a few days while the area heals. In addition, the temporary filling is not as durable as the final crown will be, which means you need to be careful with it. Once the crown is in place, you will be able to chew and eat normally as you would with your natural tooth.
Potential Risks of a Root Canal
If you’re facing a root canal, you may be wondering if the procedure is safe. Root canals have been a standardgeneral dentistry practice for a number of years. They are a safe and effective way to deal with tooth decay that has reached beyond the top layers of the teeth.
However, as with most dental procedures, there is some slight risk associated with it. For some patients, severe damage means a root canal is not effective. If a root canal fails, you may have to have it repeated. In severe cases, your tooth may need to be removed completely.
Benefits of Root Canals
The benefits of root canals far outweigh the potential risks. With a root canal, you can improve your pain, protect your natural teeth, and keep the spreading from spreading to your other teeth or your jawbone. Because the pain from these infections is so intense, a root canal makes sense.
Risks of Delaying Root Canal Treatment
Getting a root canal can feel frightening. However, if your dentist thinks you need one, acting quickly is important. Without a root canal, you have a greater risk of losing the infected tooth. In addition, the infection can spread, damaging additional teeth. IT can even spread to the jawbone, which is a serious situation. In addition, you will not get relief from your pain until you deal with the underlying cause.
Tips for Preventing Root Canal
While the team at Sconzo & Sciascia General, Cosmetic, and Family Dentistry is here for you at any time if you need a root canal, our primary goal is to help you protect your teeth from infection to begin with. The best way to avoid having a root canal in the future is to practice good oral hygiene, including flossing daily, and having twice-a-year cleanings and dental checkups. Plaque, the sticky buildup that can occur if you neglect oral hygiene, increases your risks of having an infection, which can lead to a root canal.
Partner with Our Family Dentistry Team to Protect Your Oral Health
Sconzo & Sciascia General, Cosmetic, and Family Dentistry is passionate about helping our Brooklyn, NY, patients protect their oral health. We are a full-service family dentistry practice offering root canals in addition to preventive care, such as annual dental checkups. Our goal is to help you have pain-free, healthy teeth for a lifetime.
If you’re suffering from intense pain or have heard you need a root canal in Brooklyn, NY, reach out to our team. We will provide caring treatment that will restore the function of our teeth. In addition, we can help you take steps to protect against future root canals through better oral healthcare and preventive cleanings and checkups.
