Root Canal
Is ongoing tooth pain or greater sensitivity to hot and cold drinks and foods affecting your day-to-day life? Infections in your tooth root can cause this — and lead to more problems if it’s not treated. Our dentists in Fort Myers, FL, at Catlin Dental Group might recommend a root canal as treatment.
This kind of procedure eliminates infected material from inside your tooth, stopping infections and easing symptoms. What happens during a root canal? Why might you need one? Let’s explore this procedure to help you better understand its benefits, how it works, and what to expect!
What Is a Root Canal?
The inner part of your tooth has tissue known as pulp. When this becomes infected with harmful bacteria, you may need a root canal to clear it out. This procedure involves entering the affected tooth and removing infected pulp to stop bacteria from spreading.
Root canals are common dental procedures. Being told you need one might make you nervous — but our dentists are here to keep you informed and ease your concerns. Note that this procedure is safe and highly successful at treating infected teeth.
Reasons You May Need a Root Canal
Have a minor tooth infection with mild pain? You might only need antibiotics to clear it up. But if the root is infected, our dental team may recommend having a root canal. Some of the signs that might indicate it’s time for this procedure include the following:
- Tooth pain that isn’t easing up
- Pain in your face or jaw near the affected tooth
- Gum swelling around the tooth
- Uncomfortable pressure in your tooth
- Swelling in your jaw on the affected side
Bacteria that cause infections can invade the pulp inside your tooth if there’s a severe cavity present. Or you can end up with an infection if bacteria get in through a chip, crack, or other damage.
Benefits of Root Canals
Having this procedure done helps you in more than one way. In addition to eliminating pain from infections, it helps protect you from complications, such as having bacteria invade other teeth or other parts of your body.
Root canals also give you a chance to keep your tooth — rather than having it pulled. But that’s only if your tooth doesn’t have severe damage or decay. If it does, you may need to have a tooth extraction done. That’s why it’s important to have a root canal done promptly if we recommend it as treatment for an infection.
What to Expect
Knowing what will be happening during this procedure ahead of time can help ease your mind. Our dentists will explain the process in full and answer your questions. In general, you can expect a root canal to start with local anesthesia that numbs your gums and tooth. Once you’re ready, we enter the tooth via a small hole to get to the pulp.
We remove infected pulp to get rid of the bacteria that’s causing inflammation. Once it’s gone, we disinfect the chambers inside your tooth and fill them in with a dental material. The last steps involve sealing up the treated tooth, so bacteria can’t get back in.
Root Canal Recovery
How long will it take you to heal from this procedure? Your tooth may need about a week to fully heal — but you can usually go back to your regular routine as soon as your feel better! You might have some aches and pains temporarily when the anesthesia wears off.
To help your tooth recover:
- Have soft foods for a few days
- Don’t chew using that tooth
- Keep practicing good oral hygiene with regular brushing and flossing
Reach out to us if you have soreness for over a week or any other symptoms. But note that most root canals are done safely — and successfully — with no complications!
Visit Our Office for a Root Canal
Do you need help for tooth pain or other symptoms of an infection? Our team at Catlin Dental can assess your tooth and determine the right treatment for it. We offer root canals in Fort Myers, FL — along with other dental services to help your teeth stay healthy!
