Why is a root canal treatment necessary?
The pulp is soft tissue inside your tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels and provides nourishment for your tooth. It can become infected if you have:
A deep cavity
Repeated dental procedures that may have damaged the tooth
A cracked or fractured tooth (even if there’s no visible crack or chip)
Physical trauma to the tooth
If untreated, the tissues around the root of your tooth can become infected. This can cause pain and swelling, and an abscess may form inside the tooth and/or in the bone surrounding the root of the tooth. An infection can also put you at risk of losing your tooth completely because bacteria can damage the bone that keeps your tooth connected to your jaw.
What should I expect?
A root canal treatment usually takes 1 or 2 office visits to complete. Local anesthesia will be used so you don’t feel the procedure. Once the procedure is complete, you should no longer feel the pain caused by the tooth.
Root canal procedure:
Take X-rays to get a clear view of your tooth and the surrounding bone.
Numb your tooth and area around the tooth so you are comfortable during the treatment.
Create an opening in the top of your tooth.
Remove the tooth’s nerve from inside the tooth and in the areas in the root. And clean inside the tooth and each root canal.
Fill the root canals with a rubber-like material to seal them against future infection.
Place a temporary filling on the tooth to protect it until a definitive restoration like a permanent filling or crown can be placed.
Antibiotics and pain medication may be prescribed to prevent infection and help with sensitivity.
Feel free to call the office if you have any questions or problems.
A follow-up visit is needed to remove the temporary filling on the tooth and replace it with a regular filling or a crown to protect your tooth from further damage.
Brian Y. Kuo DDS FAGD
(626) 800-8022
🦷 See Dr. Kuo for experienced endodontic care!
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