Root Canal Therapy in Woodland Hills and Manhattan Beach
You deserve a dentist whose top priority is saving your teeth, and at Modern American Dentistry, you will find a team of professionals who will listen to you and help you make the best dental decisions for your oral health. Our goal is always your overall health and well-being.
If you are experiencing tooth pain, all you want is for the pain to go away. When patients call us experiencing a dental emergency, an infected root canal is often the culprit. Pain from a root canal infection can pop up quickly without any warning, and we are here to help you with such an emergency.
You may feel anxious when we mention root canal therapy to treat your pain, but you will quickly realize that root canal therapy will promptly eliminate your pain and allow you to breathe a sigh of relief.
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is a treatment for the inside of your tooth. Underneath your tooth’s enamel is soft tissue known as pulp. When the pulp gets infected, your tooth will begin to hurt, and you will likely need a root canal.
Likely causes of an infected root include the following:
- Extensive tooth decay
- Multiple procedures on a tooth
- Cracks or chips on a tooth
- Dental trauma
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of an Infected Root?
Infected teeth have similar symptoms to other infections, and these symptoms may pop up seemingly out of nowhere. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please get in touch with us immediately so we can address the issue and focus on saving your tooth:
- Tooth pain that may worsen when you lie down
- Swelling of the gums
- Extreme sensitivity to hot or cold
- Feeling of pressure
Root Canal Therapy in Woodland Hills
Again, if you are experiencing symptoms, contact our office right away. Acting quickly can dramatically increase the chances of saving your tooth. To avoid an extraction, we will treat your infection in the following way:
First, Dr. Gould or Dr. Adorjan will numb your mouth so you are no longer in pain. Once you are comfortable and numb, they will create an access point in your tooth’s canal and gently remove the infected pulp.
Once the infection is removed, the entire area will be cleaned and sterilized. Then, they will fill and seal your tooth with a temporary restoration to protect it while your body’s natural healing process takes over.
What Happens After My Root Canal?
Once your root canal is complete, the most important thing is that you will no longer feel any pain! As your body heals, it is normal to experience some sensitivity, but you should begin to feel better each day until the sensitivity disappears entirely.
You should be careful not to bite down or chew on the tooth that has undergone root canal therapy because the tooth is weakened until you return to our office to complete the restoration process. Ensure you continue brushing and flossing your teeth regularly during this time.
In a few weeks, we will ask you to return to our Woodland Hills or Manhattan Beach dental offices for a follow-up exam to monitor your healing. Once your tooth heals completely, we will recommend a permanent restoration to protect it.
One possible restoration is a dental filling to seal your tooth, but that will not be enough protection for certain teeth, depending on their location in your mouth. A dental crown may be necessary for those teeth, especially if the root canal was performed on a bicuspid or a molar since they do most of the work when chewing.
Why Is It So Important to Save a Tooth?
Root canal therapy combined with a restoration may seem like a great deal of effort to save one tooth, but our goal is for you to keep your natural teeth because they are still the best way to protect your health, even when treatment is necessary.
Losing a tooth can complicate your health by creating a chain reaction of shifting teeth and additional tooth loss. Tooth replacement therapy is often more complex and expensive than treating your natural tooth—even one that requires root canal therapy, so let the experts at Modern American Dentistry help you make the best decision for your oral health.
Long-term success rates for root canals are high, and you can avoid the additional cost of a dental implant or dental bridge. Who wouldn’t want to save their natural tooth instead of settling for an artificial tooth?
If You Have a Painful Tooth, Call Modern American Dentistry
Are you interested in talking to us about root canal therapy? Our successful track record with patients speaks for itself. We offer outstanding clinical treatment in a caring and comfortable environment, giving you the best of both worlds. We are passionate about our work and look forward to helping you achieve optimum health and wellness. Please don’t hesitate to call us with any questions or concerns.
