Root Canal Therapy

At Dentist of Chattanooga you can get root canal treatment that is needed when you experience severe pain in one or more of your teeth that has damage from trauma or decay. In a case like this, a crown or filling alone will not be enough to save the tooth.

Root canal therapy is an endodontic treatment that can save the functionality of your teeth. Having a root canal can also prevent having an extraction or other treatments that may cost more money.

In this case, things like dental crowns and fillings alone won’t fix the toothache. Root canal therapy is an endodontic treatment that can save the functionality of your teeth. It can also prevent tooth extractions and other treatments that might cost you more money.

What Is Root Canal Therapy?

Every tooth comes with three layers – the enamel (outer), the dentin, and the pulp. In the pulp, you have soft tissue.

Root canal therapy is the process where the infected soft tissue and cavity within the tooth are removed. The internal spaces within the tooth are then filled with a solid material. This way, they can seal the tooth and prevent the chances of any additional infection.

Not every cavity or fracture means you are going to need root canal treatment. Most of the time, you find that decay or damage occurs just in the enamel and dentin part of the tooth. This can be caused by a fracture, trauma, or a cavity. In this case, Dr. White should be able to use a simple filling or a crown to repair the damage instead of having to perform a root canal. However, if the damage makes its way down to the pulp, your only option will be able to repair it with a root canal therapy procedure.

At Dentist of Chattanooga our responsibility is to use conservative treatment to see the possibility of saving your tooth before we conduct an extraction. We will first try to recommend root canal therapy, followed by effective restorative care before any more complex procedures.

What Is The Benefit To Root Canal Therapy?

When there is a bacterial or trauma-related infection in your tooth, you will notice degeneration or inflammation in the nerve. This inflammation can lead to extreme sensitivity in the tooth and pain whenever you chew or bite. As for degeneration, it can lead to pain as well.

In some cases, discomfort from either of them happens spontaneously. With a root canal, you eliminate the pain by removing the nerve and cleaning out any bacteria in the canal.

Signs and Symptoms of Damaged Roots

If you have teeth that ache when you bite down, you will need to quickly schedule a free consultation with Dr. White so he can diagnose what’s wrong. At Dentist of Chattanooga our objective is to help you understand what’s wrong and prevent future damage. Some symptoms you should keep in mind when it comes to tooth damage include:

• A bad taste or breath around the infected area
• Sensitivity when chewing or biting down
• Tooth or gum pains when you take hot drinks
• Throbbing or pulsating in the tooth
• Teeth darkening
• Visible infection signs. These include gum inflammation, fever, etc.

The Root Canal Therapy Process

As soon as Dr. White checks the symptoms and examines the pain, he can decide whether you need a root canal or something simple like a crown or a filling.

If he determines the root canal is needed, the first step is pain relief. This may start with a prescription for antibiotics. This will get you on the way and aid in using the anesthetic to numb your tooth. Then, Dr. White accesses your tooth’s canal, creating a small pathway to the part of your tooth that is infected. He then removes all infected debris and pulp. Next, he cleans up the tooth’s interior and removes all signs of infection.

Sometimes it takes two visits to perform a root canal. This is because there might be a need to place medication in the tooth's canal to help eliminate any bacteria that might be there.

After all of the bacteria is gone, Dr. White will fill your canal with material and seals it with a crown or cap to protect it. This is critical because a root canal will weaken the tooth’s structure. In some cases, protection will be required to reduce the possibility of tooth fracture.

When the procedure is complete, Dr. White will make sure your tooth is structurally sound and that you are experiencing zero pain.

Get Your Free Consultation From Dr. Gary L White - A Professional Root Canals Dentist

Want to learn more about root canal therapy? Contact us by filling out the form below or giving us a call. We will be happy to set up your free consultation with Dr. White where he will be able to answer any and all questions you might have about root canal therapy.