Stay Safe & Relax In The Dentist’s Chair
A root canal is an endodontic procedure that removes damaged or infected dental pulp from the tooth. We then fill the tooth with a rubber-like material, gutta-percha. This restores the tooth’s health and function, saving it from extraction in 95% of cases.
The dental pulp is the soft inside layer of the tooth, located beneath the enamel and dentin. It contains connective tissue and nerves, causing pain when it becomes inflamed or infected. Causes of damage to the dental pulp include untreated tooth decay and oral trauma.
If you have signs of a tooth infection, contact us at Alliance Family Dentistry today to schedule an appointment with a dentist in Colorado Springs today.
Root canals are highly successful endodontic treatments that can save your teeth as well as time and money. It is always preferable to save teeth whenever possible because tooth loss leads to irreversible bone loss, changes in your bite and facial structure, as well as facial sagging which can make you appear older than you are.
Oral health is directly correlated with overall health and by restoring the health of your tooth, you reduce your risk of developing serious medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.
Saving a tooth from extraction also means that you won’t have a gap in your smile and you’ll be able to chew and speak more easily. Losing one tooth increases your risk of losing additional teeth. A root canal is a painless procedure from our Colorado Springs dental office that prevents infection from spreading to your other teeth or even worse, spreading to the bloodstream.
Anesthetic - We’ll administer a local anesthetic so you won’t feel any pain from the procedure.
Pulpectomy - An access hole is made into your tooth with a dental drill so we can access the dental pulp. We scrape out all of the dental pulp, including the roots.
Canal Cleaning & Shaping - Each tooth contains up to 4 canals and each of them needs to be cleaned, sanitized, and reshaped.
Filling - We will fill the inside of the tooth with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha. The access hole will then be sealed.
Restoration - Your tooth will be restored with a permanent filling or a dental crown. We recommend placing a dental crown over the tooth for additional protection from wear, tear, and bacteria because your tooth is now weaker and more vulnerable.
After getting a root canal, your tooth might feel a little sore or sensitive. This discomfort should be mild and will subside within 1-2 days but you can take over-the-counter or prescription pain medication for relief.
Do not consume any food or hot liquids until the anesthetic has completely worn off to prevent injury. For the first 24 hours, stick to soft foods and chew on the other side of your mouth. You can brush and floss your teeth like normal but be careful around the tooth that received the root canal.