Root Canal Therapy – Bartlesville, OK
Saving Badly Injured Teeth
Root canal therapy in Bartlesville is a very misunderstood procedure. Many
patients think of it as being painful, but this is inaccurate; any discomfort
you feel during the procedure is no worse than what you’d experience
when getting a filling. The truth is that in many cases, root canal therapy
will stop pain by removing the source of an infection that’s
threatening your tooth and your oral health overall. If you’ve been
suffering from a toothache for more than a couple of days,
make an appointment
at Dentistry by Design; we just may find that a root canal is the key to your
relief.
What is Root Canal Therapy?
The root canal is the part of your tooth that contains the pulp. Tooth pulp is filled with blood vessels and nerves; if it becomes infected, it might cause a toothache. Over time, the infection could become severe enough that the tooth needs to be removed altogether.
Dr. Lumpkin can perform root canal therapy to remove dental pulp, thus stopping the decay from spreading further. Afterwards, he’ll carefully clean, disinfect and shape the inside of the root canals before resealing them. Not only does this halt the infection, but it also allows you to continue to use the tooth for everyday chewing tasks.
Why Do I Need a Root Canal?
There are a few signs that can tell you that root canal treatment in Bartlesville might be necessary. These symptoms include:
- Severe pain whenever you chew or apply pressure to your tooth
- Prolonged pain whenever your tooth is exposed to hot or cold temperatures (that is, it continues to hurt even after the source of heat or cold is gone)
- Darkening of the tooth
- Swelling and tenderness in nearby gums
- A pimple on your gums that won’t go away
Unfortunately, there are times where there aren’t any symptoms that you can observe on your own; that’s one reason why having two dental checkups each year is so important.
What is Root Canal Therapy Like?
The first step is to take an X-ray so that we can see the shape of the root canals themselves; this will also let us check whether the infection has reached the surrounding bone. At the start of the surgery, we’ll numb the area and place a rubber dam to protect the tooth from saliva during the treatment. A small hole is made in the tooth, and the pulp (along with other harmful materials) is removed. Root canal files are used to scrape and scrub the inside of the tooth before it’s resealed. You’ll usually get a crown to protect the remaining tooth structure afterwards (although it might require an additional appointment).
How Can You Avoid the Need for Further Root Canal Therapy?
Of course, it’s always better to take care of your teeth so they don’t need to be saved with root canal therapy in the first place. After the surgery, you can protect the rest of your pearly whites by:
- Brushing and flossing twice a day
- Staying away from hard foods that could crack your teeth and allow bacteria to enter
- Wearing a mouth guard at night so that you don’t damage your teeth by grinding them together
- Avoiding acidic drinks that wear down the enamel
- Having regular checkups and cleanings at Dentistry by Design to catch tooth decay in its earliest phases