Root Canal

You may not be familiar with endodontic, but chances are you have heard of root canal therapy. Endodontic procedures deal with the diagnosis and treatment of damaged tooth nerves. The root canal procedure treats nerve damage that results from tooth infection. If infection at the center of a tooth is not treated, it may advance to an abscess with the potential for serious complications such as the loss of jawbone.

What you need to know about root canal therapy

Peninsula Dental Implant Center may be a premier source for implant treatment, but we are also concerned with helping our patients retain natural teeth whenever possible. Many people contact our office thinking that an infected tooth can simply be extracted as a way to avoid root canal therapy. We want our patients to know that root canal therapy does not hurt. Dr. Gupta uses state-of-the-art technologies and modern techniques to create a streamlined, safe, and comfortable process. If having a root canal seems like the healthiest solution to pain and infection, this is what we will recommend.

To treat infection at the center of a tooth, we must open this area. Local numbing medication is administered, and patients may request sedation if this will improve their experience. After the treatment site is numb, Dr. Gupta removes damaged tooth structure and makes an opening to reach the root canal. Using tiny files, she removes all tissue from infected canals, including nerves and other vessels. Emptied canals are sterilized and then closed with gutta percha, a natural sealant. To restore the damaged tooth, we take impressions for a lifelike crown, which will be affixed in a follow up appointment. In the interim, a temporary crown is worn.

Mild soreness may occur after root canal therapy. This side effect may last only a few hours and it can be eased with pain-relieving medication.

More than the actual root canal procedure, what patients should fear is the sensitivity and intense pain that comes with untreated infection. If you have tooth pain, root canal therapy is much more comfortable than letting that pain get worse. In a short procedure performed with numbing medication, we can save your tooth and relieve your pain.

Call Peninsula Dental Implant Center and schedule a comprehensive examination with Dr. Shivani Gupta.

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