For many individuals, young and old alike, it is intimidating to visit their family dentist, but sometimes, there is no choice. There are numerous oral health issues that warrant seeing a dentist. One such issue is a badly decayed or damaged tooth. In order to save such an afflicted tooth, there is no option but to see your dentist and seek a root canal treatment at the earliest.

A root canal treatment or root canal therapy is a procedure that a qualified dentist or orthodontist carries out to save a tooth that has been awfully damaged or infected. It is no simple procedure! In fact, it requires removing the infected pulp, disinfecting the pulp chamber (the inside of the tooth), refilling the tooth, and sealing it.

There are several conditions that can necessitate the need for a root canal. They include a crack in your tooth, trauma to the tooth, an infected dental nerve, or very deep cavities. All these conditions can cause infection as well as an abscess in your tooth. A visible symptom of such an affliction is swollen gums around the infected tooth and severe pain. Leaving such a tooth untreated is not an option! Discomfort and severe pain aside, the bacteria in the abscess can also affect your overall health negatively by seeping into the bloodstream and traveling to the vital organs in your body. Therefore, if you experience swollen gums and severe pain in your tooth, it is imperative that you see your dentist.

What to expect during the root canal diagnosis and therapy?

If you are a likely candidate for a root canal therapy, then here are some of the activities that you can expect from your dentist to repair and save your tooth:

An X-ray: After determining that you could be in need of a root canal, the first thing your dentist will do is take X-rays of your tooth. The X-rays will help your dentist examine your tooth and detect where the abscess or decay could be.

Local Anesthesia: Before starting the root canal procedure, your dentist will put you on local anesthesia. Usually, it is applied around the gums of a tooth that is affected. The purpose of anesthesia is to prevent you from feeling any pain or other forms of discomfort during the procedure.

A Pulpectomy: During this process, your dentist will create an access hole in order to remove the diseased or infected pulp from the affected tooth.

A Dental Filling: Before concluding the treatment, your dentist will fill the interior of your tooth with a compound known as gutta-percha. Next, your dentist will seal your tooth with a dental filling.

A Dental Crown: You may or may not require a dental crown as it depends on the condition of your tooth. If your tooth had a larger filling or severe decay before the root canal therapy, then your dentist may advise a dental crown to protect your tooth, prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its normal function.

After the root canal treatment, you may feel some tenderness in the area where the procedure was carried out. Do not worry – it is common and a sign of healing! Apart from the tenderness, your jaw may feel a bit sore. To address these discomforts, your dentist will prescribe some pain-relief medicines.

In regard to the oral care, brush and floss as you would regularly, and visit your dentist once every three to six months.

Root canal therapy has a high success rate and teeth fixed with this procedure can last a lifetime!

For the best root canal treatment, Tysons Corner patients can rely on us at SmilePerfectors. We have some of the most skilled and experienced dentists in Tysons Corner, who will save your severely damaged or infected tooth with an effective root canal therapy.

To get an exceptional root canal therapy in Tysons Corner, schedule an appointment at SmilePerfectors today! Click here to learn more about our root canal therapy or to schedule an appointment.