When facing severe tooth pain, immediate and expert care is crucial. At Gentle Dental, we specialize in alleviating discomfort and preserving your natural smile with professional endodontic care. You don’t have to look far; our root canal specialists are ready to provide fast, effective, and gentle root canal treatment near you.

When Do You Need A Root Canal?

Root Canals

A root canal treatment becomes necessary when the pulp, the soft tissue inside your tooth that contains nerves and blood vessels, becomes inflamed or infected. Several symptoms can indicate the need for this procedure.

  • Severe Toothache Pain Upon Chewing or Application of Pressure This pain can be sharp and piercing and usually worsens when you bite down or put pressure on the affected tooth. It’s often an indication that the tooth pulp is damaged or infected.
  • Prolonged Sensitivity/Pain to Heat or Cold Temperatures If a sensation of pain lingers long after the exposure to hot or cold has ceased, it might suggest that the nerves inside the tooth are either damaged or infected.
  • Discoloration (Darkening) of the Tooth An infected tooth may turn grayish-black due to the dying tissue inside it. This discoloration is typically a sign that the roots are in distress.
  • Swelling and Tenderness in the Nearby Gums Swelling or a feeling of tenderness in the gums near the affected tooth can be a symptom of an infection that might have spread from the tooth to the surrounding periodontal tissues.
  • A Persistent or Recurring Pimple on the Gum Often referred to as a sinus tract, this pimple may ooze pus caused by the infection in the tooth. This is a clear indicator of a drainage problem that often corresponds with an infection deep within the tooth.

If you experience any of the following, consulting with a root canal specialist at Gentle Dental is advised.

How is a Root Canal Treatment Performed?

Diagnostic Steps and
Anesthetic Measures

A root canal treatment begins with a thorough diagnosis to confirm the need for the procedure. This typically involves X-rays to view the shape of the root canals and determine if there are any signs of infection in the surrounding bone.

Once the need for a root canal is confirmed, local anesthesia is administered to numb the tooth and surrounding area, ensuring the patient's comfort throughout the procedure.

Cleaning, Removal,
and Sealing

The next step is to access the inside of the tooth by creating a small opening in the crown. Special tools are used to remove the infected or inflamed pulp from the tooth. Afterward, each canal is cleaned and shaped using fine dental instruments to prepare it for the sealing material.

The cleaned canals are then filled with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha and sealed with dental cement to prevent bacteria from re-entering.

Post-Procedure Care

After the procedure, the tooth may be sensitive for a few days, which is normal and can be managed with over-the-counter pain medications. It is important to avoid chewing on the treated tooth until it is fully restored with a permanent filling or crown.

Good oral hygiene practices, including brushing, flossing, and regular check-ups, are crucial to ensure the success of the root canal treatment and the health of your remaining teeth.

What is the Cost of Delaying a Root Canal?

If you are experiencing any symptoms of a root canal infection, it is crucial to seek treatment immediately to prevent further complications. Early intervention is essential to save your teeth and reduce the need for more complex dental procedures in the future.

Why Choose Gentle Dental for Root Canal Therapy

Choosing Gentle Dental means opting for a practice that prioritizes your comfort and health. Our team includes acclaimed endodontists who are members of the American Association of Endodontists. When it comes to root canal therapy, our highly awarded practitioners are not just experts; they are compassionate root canal specialists dedicated to providing you with the best care possible.

Highly Awarded Practitioners: Our team includes acclaimed endodontists who are members of the American Association of Endodontists.

Advanced Technology: We utilize the latest dental technology to ensure effective and precise treatments. This technology, coupled with the expertise of our root canal dentist, enhances the quality and efficiency of the care you receive, making complicated procedures smoother and more comfortable.

Patient-Centric Care: We focus on making your visit stress-free with a friendly staff and a comforting environment.

Endodontic Treatments at Gentle Dental

At Gentle Dental, we provide specialized endodontic treatments designed to save your natural teeth and alleviate dental pain. Our experienced endodontists use advanced techniques and state-of-the-art technology to offer the best possible outcomes in a comfortable setting.

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy involves the removal of the infected or inflamed pulp from within your tooth, followed by careful cleaning, disinfecting, and shaping of the root canals and then sealing them with a biocompatible material. This treatment, performed by our skilled root canal dentist, alleviates pain and can save your tooth from extraction, preserving your natural smile.

Endodontic Re-Treatment

Sometimes a tooth that has undergone a root canal procedure may not heal properly or could become reinfected. Endodontic re-treatment, another procedure in which our root canal dentist excels, involves reopening the tooth to remove the previous root canal filling materials, cleansing the canals, and refilling them. This process helps resolve any ongoing infection or pain and is critical to root canal infection treatment.

Endodontic Surgery

When non-surgical root canal treatment is insufficient or has failed, endodontic surgery, such as an apicoectomy, may be necessary. This procedure involves making a small incision in the gum tissue to examine the underlying bone and remove any inflamed or infected tissue. The end of the root is also sealed during surgery to prevent further infection.

Sedation Endodontics

For patients who experience anxiety or fear about dental procedures, sedation endodontics offers a way to receive treatments comfortably. We provide various sedation options, from mild sedatives to help you relax to more profound methods that allow you to sleep through the procedure.

Treatment for Traumatic Dental Injuries

Our clinic specializes in treating dental injuries such as dislodged or avulsed (knocked-out) teeth. Timely endodontic treatment can often save injured teeth, preventing long-term damage and the need for more extensive dental work.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Cracked Teeth & Fractures

Cracked teeth can present various symptoms, including erratic pain when chewing and temperature sensitivities. Our endodontists, also known as root canal doctors, are skilled in diagnosing and treating these issues, often involving precise root canal therapy or other specialized treatments to preserve the tooth and prevent further damage.

Diagnosis of Dental Pain

Identifying the precise cause of dental pain can be complex due to the diverse and overlapping nerve pathways in the mouth. Our expert endodontists use advanced diagnostic techniques to pinpoint the source of pain and determine the appropriate treatment to resolve it, ensuring relief and restoration of oral health.

Payment Options

Many dental insurances cover root canals. Gentle Dental accepts many types of dental insurance, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Delta Dental, Met Life, Guardian, Cigna, Altus, United Concordia, Assurant, Aetna.

If your insurance does not cover root canals, or you do not have dental insurance, we offer a few payment alternatives.

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If your request is a dental emergency, or you would like to call and schedule your dental appointment, contact information for our offices can be found here: Gentle Dental Locations. New patient offer not valid for emergency appointments.