Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is absolutely necessary in order to save infected teeth. Regular dental examinations can prevent infections of the root canal and keep you from ever needing this procedure. If you have been away from the dentist, however, and your tooth has decayed and become infected by colonizing microorganisms, root canal therapy is the only step between your tooth and removal.

Symptoms of an infected tooth may or may not be present, but they include:

• toothache
• swelling of the cheek or gums
• abscess of the gums
• tooth sensitivity to hot or cold liquids.

Every tooth is filled with tissue, or pulp, that extends into the root or roots. Unfortunately, the immune system cannot reach the pulp, allowing microbes to colonize your tooth. If the tissue is still living, root canal therapy may be completed in one visit to the offices of Dr. Brian Steele. If the tissue is already decayed, at least two visits will be needed to destroy infecting microbes.

First, the pulp and microbial colonies are removed with instruments and medicated irrigation of the canal. The main root canal is also enlarged to destroy microbes that have invaded the smaller branches and tubules of your tooth. If your tooth is very infected, additional antibiotic medication is placed in the root canal and a temporary cap is placed on your tooth.

Finalizing root canal therapy requires filling the space where the pulp once lived with dental material. Afterwards, a crown is placed on the tooth to give it strength. (For more information on crowns, see that section of our Procedures pages.)

With anesthetics and sedation therapy, a root canal treatment can be completed with little stress for the patient. Antibiotic therapy may be required, based on the level of infection in the jaw. In a short time, any swelling or pain will diminish as the immune system heals the tissues surrounding the tooth. Regular dental visits and proper oral hygiene will prevent the need for root canal therapy in the future.