Root Canal Specialist
LA Dental Town
Family Dentistry & Cosmetic Dentistry located in East Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
A root canal is often thought of as a painful, unpleasant experience, but with today’s advanced technology, it can be an easy procedure. The experienced and compassionate team of dentists at LA Dental Town in East Los Angeles make your comfort during a root canal a top priority. They offer optional sedation and laughing gas to help rid you of any fear or anxiety associated with your appointment. In the long run, a root canal can save your tooth and prevent an extraction. Call the friendly office staff to learn more.
Root Canal
What is a root canal?
A root canal, also known as endodontic therapy, is a dental procedure that repairs and saves a damaged tooth from being extracted. If your tooth becomes infected or diseased from decay, a root canal allows your dentist to remove the soft tissue, or pulp, from inside your tooth and replace it with filling material.
A root canal is often the best way to relieve pain and restore oral health, while protecting surrounding teeth from damage or decay, as well.
An untreated, infected tooth can lead to more serious oral health complications and cause you to lose your natural tooth.
What are the signs that I may need a root canal?
Signs that you may need a root canal include:
- Pain while chewing
- Swollen gums
- Sensitivity to hot and cold foods
- Pain in your jaw
Sometimes pain is severe, but other times, it’s just uncomfortable. If you have tooth pain, it’s always best not to wait to seek treatment, especially if you have red, swollen gums, too. Only your dentist can determine if you need a root canal, after a thorough exam and X-rays.
If you wait too long to seek treatment, you could develop an abscessed tooth. This occurs when the pulp inside your tooth dies and becomes inflamed. It leads to infection in and around the root of the tooth.
What can I expect during a root canal?
Your dentist at LA Dental Town tailors your root canal treatment to your specific needs. If you desire, you can request sedation and nitrous oxide to make you more comfortable. During your appointment, after administering a local anesthetic, your dentist drills into your tooth to access the infected pulp.
It’s much like getting a cavity filled, only in the case of a root canal, your dentist first cleans out the inside of your tooth to remove all the infected, decayed nerves, debris, and soft tissue. Once they’ve removed all the material, they fill the tooth and seal it. Sometimes, you receive a crown to protect the tooth from further damage.
A root canal may take more than one dental appointment to complete.
If you have tooth pain, take it seriously before it seriously affects your oral health. Call the office today to book the next available appointment.