Endodontics

If you experience sharp tooth pain after eating or have painful gum swelling, you may need a root canal. Our teeth contain a fibrous pulp of blood vessels and nerves which can be infected via a deep cavity, a chipped tooth, or a complication from a large filling. Without the right treatment, the infection could spread to other parts of the body. Sometimes, the tooth needs to be pulled out. Fortunately, a root canal only extracts the infected pulp and allows the tooth to stay as it is.

There are several procedures involved in a root canal. First, an endodontist or dentist will apply a local anesthetic to numb the tooth. Next, a protective sheet called a dental dam is placed over the area to keep the tooth clean during the procedure. A small opening is made on the crown of the tooth to remove the pulp from the chamber and root canal spaces. The root canal is cleaned and sealed with a rubber-like material as a temporary filling to prevent contamination of the hole. At your next visit, the endodontist will remove your temporary filling, and restore the tooth with a crown or filling.