A dental infection could cause serious discomfort and without treatment, could lead to missing teeth too! But with a root canal procedure, our team has a safe and gentle way to treat infection and protect your smile. In today’s blog, your Omaha, NE, dentist talks about saving teeth with a root canal procedure.
Dental Infection and Missing Teeth
How does a tooth become infected, and how does this lead to missing teeth? An infection means that harmful oral bacteria have made contact with the pulp, the bundle of living tissues at the center of your tooth. This could occur due to damaged teeth or an untreated cavity in many cases. Without treatment to stop the discomfort, or could grow severe enough that a tooth falls out or needs to be extracted to stop the spread of infection to other teeth. When you experience common symptoms, we hope you will reach out to our team right away. This could include tooth sensitivity when you eat or bite down, toothaches, pain in the face or jaw, and headaches. There could also be swelling or even a discharge from the tooth!
The Root Canal Procedure
When you see us for a root canal treatment, our team will begin by carefully examining the tooth, including gathering images with digital x-rays. We want to pinpoint the position of the infection and assess the severity. Our team can then plan the procedure in detail. To ensure you are comfortable and relaxed, then our team could administer a local anesthetic to numb the area being treated. Dental sedation could also be prescribed to help you enter a deep state of calm and relaxation, with little to no memory of the procedure.
The root canal procedure itself involves opening the tooth so we can access and remove the tissues from within. Once we do, we will clean the interior of the tooth thoroughly. Our team will next add a special restorative filling known as gutta percha. The last step is to cap the tooth with a dental crown, one that is custom-made to ensure it looks natural and fits comfortably. We want to ensure you feel confident and comfortable following your endodontic treatment.
Safeguarding Smile Stability
You can take steps to help reduce the risk of tooth decay and infection, safeguarding your smile. For example, be sure you brush and floss daily to help fight tooth decay. Try to cut back on sugar and starch, as this feeds harmful oral bacteria. You should also see our team every six months for a checkup and cleaning!
Learn More About Endodontic Treatment By Calling Our Team
We can offer an endodontic procedure known as a root canal to treat infected teeth and keep your smile intact. Call Pacific Hills Dental in Omaha, NE, today at (402)330-2243.
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