Root Canal (Endodontics)
The root canal is the central cavity present in all teeth. It houses the dental pulp comprising the nerves and blood vessels that provide sensation and nourishment to the teeth. Infection of the dental pulp can lead to a painful and invasive oral condition called root canal infection.
What Causes Root Canal Infection?
In most instances, root canal infection is caused by microbes in tartar deposits. Tartar usually forms near the gum line, the intersection of the teeth, or on the occlusal grooves. They release harmful toxins that erode the enamel and cause cavities. When cavities are not treated in time, they can advance onto the root canal cavity and cause an infection. Other causes include injury to the teeth that lead to broken, cracked, or chipped teeth. The microbes can enter the root canal through these openings and infect the pulp.
What Are the Symptoms of Root Canal Infection?
- Bleeding and release of pus from the gums near the infected tooth
- Severe pain and discomfort while biting or chewing food
- Numbness in the gums near the infected tooth
- Discoloration of the infected tooth
- Loosening of the tooth from the jawbone
- Bone deterioration
How Is Root Canal Infection Treated at Troy Ha, DDS?
The best and foolproof way to treat a root canal infected tooth is by removing the infected pulp from the tooth entirely. When you visit our dental practice in Long Beach, CA, we will thoroughly diagnose your oral condition and determine your need for root canal therapy. If the tooth can be treated using medication and fillings, we will consider them. But, if the infection is severe, we will have to perform root canal therapy to save it from being extracted.
Local anesthesia will be administered to keep pain and discomfort minimal. We will make a small hole in the tooth and remove the infected pulp through it using thin dental files of varying sizes. The walls of the cavity will be cleaned and shaped appropriately. A jet of water will be used to remove the microbes and other debris, and a small amount of antibiotic medication will be placed in it.
Since the dental pulp is removed from the tooth, it would gradually weaken over time. If not restored, it could crack or crumble when you bite or chew anything hard. Hence, we recommend placing a crown over it to hold it intact and prevent any damage.
We invite you to schedule a consultation with our team of dental experts at our Long Beach, CA office to get all your oral concerns addressed at the earliest. Please call us at (562) 432-9883 or schedule an online consultation and we’ll be happy to help.
