When a tooth develops an infection, treatment is necessary to stop infection and prevent tooth loss. This also prevents worsening discomfort. In today’s blog, your Santa Monica, CA, dentist talks about how we put a stop to painful infections and advanced decay with a safe and gentle root canal procedure.
The Causes and Warning Signs of an Infected Tooth
When should you see our team for a root canal procedure? A tooth becomes infected when harmful oral bacteria reach the pulp, the nerve center of your tooth. This could be possible due to an injured or damaged tooth, or as a result of an untreated cavity. You may develop symptoms like toothaches, tooth sensitivity, pain when you bite down and chew, aches in the face and jaw, and swelling or a discharge from the tooth. When one or more of these potential symptoms arise, you should let us know right away so we can offer endodontic treatment to save your tooth.
Ensuring Your Treatment is Comfortable
Most people find receiving a root canal comparable to placing a simple dental filling. That is because we take steps to ensure you are comfortable throughout the procedure. For example, we can administer a local anesthetic to the area to numb it and reduce the risk of discomfort. Our team could also discuss dental sedation for patients with anxiety, special needs, or other factors that make undergoing care a difficult process. We want your visit to our office to be positive, so you don’t read your next one!
Root Canal Treatment
Once we plan the procedure in detail after taking digital x-rays of the tooth, and we complete the administration of sedation and anesthetic, we will begin the treatment process. Our team will open the tooth so we can access and remove the tissues from within. Next, we clean the inside of the tooth and the root canals thoroughly. Our team will add a unique filling material known as gutta percha to the tooth. The last step involves attaching a custom crown to the tooth. The crown will provide a new outer structure that protects the tooth from decay or infection, and loss offers a lifelike appearance and a balanced fit. You leave with a restored and beautiful tooth, and an end to your aches and pains in the tooth.
If you have any questions about how we treat an infected tooth, or if you would like to schedule a root canal to stop the persistent ache in one, then contact our team today to learn more.
Schedule Your Infection Treatment
You can call Santa Monica Dental Arts in California at 310-395-1261 to schedule an appointment to start the process of treating an infected tooth with an endodontic procedure.
