Oral health care focuses on maintaining your teeth, using hygiene methods like brushing and flossing regularly to keep your teeth free of decay. However, sometimes dental problems get out of hand. That’s when you need to look to more intensive forms of oral health care like root canals to save your teeth.
While the idea of a root canal can be intimidating, today’s dentistry can perform these types of procedures with safety, minimizing any pain or discomfort felt by the patient during treatment. If your damaged tooth has become painful, a root canal might actually mark the end of an extended period of discomfort in your life, rapidly resolving your pain. And, after your root canal, you can keep maintaining your smile with all of your natural teeth still in place.
At 88 Smile Design, our experienced care team supports both new and existing patients who need root canals from a Mount Vernon, New York office. Founder Edly Destine, DDS can advise you on whether a root canal might be the best way to save a troubled tooth.
Your natural teeth have long roots extending down into your jawbone. If a tooth becomes damaged or diseased, a root canal may be the best way to prevent tooth loss. Root canal treatment represents a way to eliminate harmful bacteria, prevent re-infection, and save your natural tooth. Treatment typically only takes two appointment sessions, and, with anesthesia, can be relatively pain-free.
With root canal treatment, Dr. Destine goes into the interior of your tooth with special tools, removing inflamed or infected soft tissues, known as pulp. When the inside of your tooth is all clear, we clean and disinfect it, then fill and seal the tooth. After a root canal, you will still have your natural tooth, fully rooted in your jaw. Tooth pain resolves rapidly as you heal after the procedure, although you may have some discomfort immediately following treatment. At a follow-up treatment, we cap your tooth with a custom crown shaded to match your natural smile.
Root canals are an intensive procedure. A root canal is an endodontic treatment that involves the interior of your tooth. However, specialists like Dr. Destine handle root canals regularly, and the procedure doesn’t need to be any more stressful than a filling or crown. And, once your root canal is finished and your tooth covered with a crown, you won’t have to worry about pain or other symptoms.
Some symptoms tend to indicate that a root canal might be the best course of treatment for a tooth that’s cracked or damaged by a large cavity or previous filling. Common symptoms include:
If you experience these symptoms, check if a root canal might be called for. With a root canal, we can prevent issues from growing any worse, protecting you from the risk of tooth loss.
If you’re concerned about a tooth, consult with Dr. Destine about whether a root canal could be the best treatment for you. Contact our office today! You can book your appointment over the phone, or by using the online tool.
