When we perform a root canal, you will have had an X-ray to see the shape of the root canals, and we check for infection in the nearby bone. You will receive a local anesthetic and a dam will be placed in the area surrounding the tooth to keep it clean and dry while we work. Then we can access the pulp by creating an entry hole in the tooth and removing the diseased/infected areas, sterilizing it to protect against future microbial invasion and sealing it with a temporary filling over the hollowed-out roots. You will either need to see your dentist or us for a crown or other restoration to restore the tooth’s function. Every 6-12 months, the tooth should be looked to make sure it is healing properly. An abscess might take up to two years to heal completely.
In addition to root canal therapy, we offer other treatments to keep your mouth healthy:
– Retreatment is something we can do if an earlier endodontic treatment wasn’t correctly performed. Say perhaps a tooth didn’t heal after a root canal, or you still feel pain. Maybe the tooth started to heal but becomes diseased again. In this case, it can often be recovered with another root canal.
– For an apicoectomy or root-end resection, we surgically remove the tooth root tip and fill the end cavity with a biocompatible material, which won’t adversely affect the surrounding living tissue.
– After a root canal is performed, we create a post space, which allows a post and a core to be placed.
– With a bone graft, we can replace missing bone with a natural substance from your body, or a synthetic substitute.
– We can perform biopsies by taking cell samples or tissue for evaluation to determine disease.
– Hemisection is when we split a tooth in two with its roots after an endodontic treatment.
– Pulp exposure may occur during a cavity preparation and the pulp is exposed accidentally because the decay is next to the pulp chamber.
If you would like to have our team treat an infected or abscessed tooth, we invite you to call and schedule a consultation. Our goal is to determine whether or not your tooth can be saved and helping you keep your smile intact. Each approach is carefully considered before we make a final decision on your treatment to make sure you get the care you need and deserve. We look forward to seeing you and getting your best smile today!