Root Canal Part 2- Patient Experience:

Root canal procedures require at least one or more visits to either our Riverside Cosmetic and Dental Wellness office or a referred Endodontist. The first step to the procedure is taking an X-ray of the tooth in question. The x-ray is critical in diagnosing the trauma to the root and surrounding bone of the root and tooth.

Root Canal treatment:

Once the tooth is diagnosed as needing a root canal, anesthesia is placed for comfort and ease. The tooth is kept isolated from saliva by using a rubber dam to ensure a dry working environment. An access hole is drilled through the tooth to remove the bacteria and debris from the infected pulp. The root canal(s) is cleaned with root canal files ranging in diameter which “scrub” the canal clean. Sodium Hypochlorite and distilled water are used to “flush” any remaining debris and bacteria prior to closing the access hole. Depending upon the condition of the tooth, a medication may be placed in the tooth for one week prior to permanently sealing the tooth. Thus, another visit is needed to complete the root canal. Once the tooth is sealed and healed it is ready for either a filing or a crown. Teeth saved with root canal procedures have an excellent success rate.

Will you feel pain?

With modern technology and pain medicaments, little pain/discomfort is noted. Pain medicaments will be prescribed to ensure your comfort. However, when a “hot tooth” is involved it typically can be more difficult to numb and treat due to severe infection. Also, the tooth that has been worked on may be tender while eating or resting in the days and weeks following the root canal procedure. If there is persistent pain past a few days, contact our office or the office of the Endodontist to whom we referred you to for further evaluation.

Is there and alternative treatment to root canals?

The alternative treatment to a root canal procedure is an extraction. Removing the infected tooth is typically the last resort when it comes to dental therapies. Our dental team believes in retaining teeth for as long as possible. At times, the best option for a patient is extracting their tooth to alleviate the pain and rid the body of infection. Please contact our Riverside Cosmetic and Dental Wellness office if you think you may need a root canal and/or you would like more information 951-686-3666.