ROOT CANALS
Root canal treatments are very effective in relieving pain and they can save your teeth. They are typically needed when there is inflammation or infection in the roots of a tooth.
Getting to the root of your dental pain.
At Tecumseh Ridge Dental, we understand that the thought of a root canal can be daunting, but we’re here to put your mind at ease. Root canals are a common procedure designed to save your natural tooth and relieve pain caused by infected or damaged pulp. Our expert team is committed to providing you with the highest quality care and ensuring you feel informed and comfortable every step of the way. Explore this page to learn more about what a root canal involves, how it can benefit your oral health, and what to expect during your treatment.
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DO I NEED A ROOT CANAL?
- Root canals are typically needed on teeth that have:
- Had previous trauma
- Abscesses
- Severe pain
- Evidence of a dying nerve (discoloration)
- Large cavities extending into the nerve chamber
- Large fillings that are leaking and have excessive decay underneath
How does a Root Canal work?
Inside the tooth, under the enamel is a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue and creates the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth during development. The pulp extends from the crown of the tooth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root. The pulp is important during a tooth’s growth and development. But once a tooth is fully mature it can survive without the pulp, because the tooth continues to be nourished by the tissues surrounding it. A root canal essentially involves the removal of pulp that is infected or inflamed. The pulp chamber and root canal are completely cleaned out and refilled to protect the area from further damage.
My Pain is not that bad. Do I really need a root canal?
In many cases, your tooth nerve may have “died,” and you don’t feel any pain. Unfortunately, if the nerve has died, the blood vessels that nourish the tooth are also not doing their job, leaving the tooth susceptible to infection. Even if the tooth is diseased and needs a root canal, you may feel like nothing is wrong. We work to pinpoint these problems so that the tooth can be saved rather than extracted later on. Many myths about root canals have given this very effective procedure a bad name. Read about some of these root canal myth on our blog.
Don’t put off your Root Canal.
Putting off a root canal is something most people do because they are afraid it will hurt, cost them a lot of money, or isn’t really necessary. We only recommend root canal treatments in our Norman dentist office if Dr. Wheatley believes they are truly needed to improve the health of your mouth. A root canal will get you out of pain, and can save the tooth and its neighbors.
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