When do I need a root canal?
You may need a root canal if you have an infection within your tooth. The pulp, which includes all of the nerves and blood vessels inside your tooth, is vulnerable to infection when there's some type of tooth damage like a crack, chip, or cavity.
Often, you'll experience severe pain with a tooth pulp infection. Even if you don't have pain, your tooth structure grows weaker and weaker over time if you have infected pulp.
Eventually, this can lead to serious complications like tooth loss and bone damage. A root canal is the best way to eliminate the damaged part of your tooth while keeping the healthy part intact.
How does root canal therapy work?
You'll receive local anesthesia before your root canal treatment begins. This ensures that you won't experience pain during the procedure.
Your La Jolla Dental Group dentist will suction out the diseased tooth pulp and then perform a thorough cleaning to remove all traces of infected tissue.
Your dentist then packs the inner part of the tooth with a sterile material called gutta percha and seals it off. After that, you'll typically get a temporary crown to wear until your permanent restoration is ready.
What’s root canal recovery like?
Root canal recovery is remarkably easy. You'll relax for a short period at La Jolla Dental Group while you recover from anesthesia, and then a friend or family member can drive you home.
The majority of La Jolla Dental Group patients return to work the morning after their root canal procedure.
Would a tooth extraction be easier?
Your La Jolla Dental Group dentist will review all of the alternatives with you. Sometimes, tooth extraction is an option, but it's rarely a superior one.
If you choose extraction, it's almost always necessary to get a dental implant afterwards to prevent your other teeth from moving. Overall, it's usually cheaper and easier to have a root canal to preserve your natural tooth.
If you have tooth pain and you just want relief, a root canal may be the way to be pain-free while saving your tooth at the same time. Use the online appointment maker or call the La Jolla Dental Group office anytime to schedule your appointment.
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