Fox Valley Dental Associates of Crystal Lake, LLC

Call Fox Valley Dental Associates at 815-477-0770

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Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed. The resulting space is filled with a special medicated material which prevents the root canal space from becoming reinfected. If Root canal treatment is not performed, the only other successful treatment would be extraction of the tooth. Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the solution, but what is not realized is that extracting a tooth will ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth.

Root canal treatment is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime, although on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated due to new infections.

Signs and symptoms for possible root canal therapy:

An abscess (or pimple) on the gums
Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold
Severe toothache pain
Swelling and/or tenderness to pressure/biting
Sometimes no symptoms are present

Reasons for root canal therapy:

Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth)
Infection or abscess has developed inside the tooth or at the root tip
Injury or trauma to the tooth
Irreversible Inflammation or Nerve pain

What does root canal therapy involve?

A root canal procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist). While the tooth is numb, an access opening is made on the biting surface of the tooth. A series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria. If tooth decay is present, it will also be removed with special dental instruments. Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it will be sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed and the root canal treatment will be completed at the next appointment. All teeth that have root canal treatment should have a crown (cap) placed. This will protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its full function. After treatment, your tooth may still be sensitive, but this will subside as the inflammation diminishes after the tooth and surrounding tissues have healed.

You will be given care instructions after each appointment. Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your root canal treatment.

Post-Op Information for Root Canal Treatments

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