Albuquerque Root Canal Dentist Near You
Have you been experiencing tooth pain for a bit? Did your pain just start? Regardless, you now need to choose the right dental care, and Ivory Dental is here to help. We never judge you because you didn’t come to us before the pain started. Though routine cleanings and checkups are a good idea, we realize that some people don’t for various reasons.
We understand that you might be scared, and other Albuquerque residents are, as well. There’s no reason to fear the dentist and put off visiting. We hope that once you’re here for your tooth pain, you realize just how friendly and helpful we are!
Significant pain in the teeth might be from decay. Over time, that small hole gets larger. Sometimes, a traditional filling just isn’t enough. If that happens, root canal treatment might be the best choice, and this is a service we offer!
What Is a Root Canal?
Root canal therapy is a procedure to remove all of the inner tissue from within the tooth. This stuff is called pulp, and it can get inflamed and infected. If that happens, you experience significant pain in the tooth’s root. However, you may not realize that’s where it comes from.
Typically, root canals are used for an infected or abscessed root.
Most people think that a root canal is painful, but that’s no longer true. We can’t say what it was like in the past, but with the many technological advancements in dentistry, there’s no pain with this procedure. On top of that, modern anesthetics make it pain-free and easy to do.
In fact, the whole goal of the root canal is to reduce your pain! That way, you can eat, drink, and smile like you used to do. It’s a great way to prevent more damage to the teeth and reduce your risk of tooth loss.
Do You Need a Root Canal?
An abscess is what happens when the tissues and root around your tooth get infected. In a sense, it develops a pus pocket. The body keeps sending white cells to fight that infection, but it gets worse and worse.
The abscess puts more pressure on the nerves in your tooth root, which erodes the tooth tissue.
If it is left untreated for a long period, the abscess could cause tooth loss. It doesn’t stop there, though! The infection could move into the brain tissue, blood, or jawbone. In very rare cases, you could die from an abscess that hasn’t been properly treated.
Right now, the best thing for you is to have a root canal treatment. This removes the abscess to save your tooth.
With that, you should understand the symptoms; you might feel all or none of them. We ask that you call to make an appointment if you have the symptoms listed below. When you’re in the office, we take X-rays of your jaw and teeth to determine what tooth is affected.
Here are the symptoms to watch for:
Signs to Watch for to See if a Root Canal Is Necessary
Signs that you’ve got a dental abscess include:
• Pain in or around the tooth. This could be sharp and searing or a dull ache.
• Prolonged or extreme sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages
• Discomfort whenever you chew or bite on one side of your mouth
• Chills and fever
• Pimple-like pockets on the gums at the base of that affected tooth
• Swelling of your lymph nodes on either side of the jaw
Root Canal Procedure
A root canal procedure can often be done in one visit at Ivory Dental. However, you may need multiple sessions.
The steps are:
1. Numb the area. We add a rubber dam (flexible latex sheet). It goes over that tooth and protects it while keeping that area dry. We open the crown of your tooth to find the pulp chamber when the site is fully numbed.
2. Now, we can remove the nerve and pulp within your tooth. There are different canals inside the root, so this can take some time. Once we’ve done that, we clean each canal and disinfect them so that bacteria can’t cause more problems or pain.
3. We can use a special medicine in the pulp chamber and canals to treat the infection.
4. Now that the root canal is sterilized and cleaned, we fill it up to seal out bacteria with a rubber-style material.
5. We can add a temporary filling in your tooth to prevent further infection. You might be prescribed antibiotics.
6. If you get the temporary filling, you have to return to the office later. We remove that filling and replace it with a crown. That way, the tooth is strengthened and looks better.
Expectation After Root Canal Therapy
The root canal procedure is easy to recover from. If we add the temporary crown, you should avoid sticky and crunchy foods until your permanent crown is set. There should be no pain, but there might be sensitivity to heat and cold. Typically, this goes away in a few weeks.
We often prescribe antibiotics if you had a severe infection. That way, the bacteria don’t come back or move into the gums and bone.
Right afterward, you can brush and floss normally. However, you should be careful as the gums could be sore.
Usually, we ask you for follow-up visits. That way, we can ensure that you’re healing and check for signs of new a infection.
How to Prevent Retreatment Needs
Most people don’t require retreatment (another root canal) if they follow these preventative techniques:
• Brush and floss regularly – ensure that you brush two times a day and floss once. Ask us to show you how!
• Regular dental visits – dental care is important, so please keep any regular checkups and cleaning appointments. We recommend that you visit twice a year!
• Early treatment – if something hurts or feels strange, please call! You may also walk in as needed!
Ivory Dental Is the Right Choice for Your Root Canal
We realize that some people get busy and forget about routine dental appointments. That’s okay! Our goal is to help you, and that means giving you the right treatment when you’re feeling ill or have painful teeth.
Don’t feel shy or ashamed at missing a few appointments at Ivory Dental. Come in for a visit now. If you’re in pain, we might be able to do a routine filling, but that could change. Some people do require root canal treatment to restore their teeth.
Ultimately, this is a great way to save the tooth and protect it from more issues later. Plus, you don’t have to worry about it being a painful procedure because we use technology and offer the right anesthetic to assist you.
Please call us today for your appointment. Let us know you’re in pain, and we can schedule you as soon as possible to find out what’s happening!
