Root Canals

Once the permanent teeth erupt in the mouth, they are meant to remain inside the mouth for the rest of your life. However, certain life circumstances often prevent individuals from making this goal a reality. Cavities, decay, infection, and trauma can all lead to severe damage of the teeth, causing restorative treatment to be necessary. Teeth are living features within the human body, and any time their health is compromised, root canals are often performed to save the tooth and restore the health of the entire mouth.

The words “root canal” often causes a sense of fear to arise in people because they mistakenly believe that root canals are painful. However, what you truly need to understand is that root canals are not painful – infected, damaged teeth are painful. Root canals are the specific procedures done to alleviate your pain, save your tooth, and prevent your entire mouth from severe consequences. An infected or damaged tooth that is not treated in a timely manner will become so severely painful that it is unbearable, and the damage to the tooth will be so severe that the tooth cannot be saved.

Root canals are done under anesthesia so that patients do not feel pain or discomfort during the procedure. In fact, many people claim to feel like a new person after the procedure; they come in with pain, and they leave feeling 100% better! Root canals are done through a series of steps:

• The tooth is opened, typically from the top of the tooth.
• The pulp of the tooth and the infection or damage is completely removed.
• The tooth is cleaned and treated with antibiotics in order to prevent infection from spreading.
• The tooth is then sealed with a complete filling in order to prevent anything from entering into the tooth.

At Siena Dental, we are here for all your oral health care needs, and we will do our part to ensure that your comfort is a top priority. Root canals do not need to be dreaded or avoided. Remember, they are the exact means to relieve your pain and restore your oral health. If you have any tooth pain or damage to a tooth, contact Siena Dental right away.

Posted on behalf of Dr. Dave Mahon, Siena Dental