Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment is needed to relieve pain when the soft tissue inside a tooth, called the dental pulp, becomes infected. It is also the only procedure to save an infected tooth from extraction.
Root Canal Treatment Is Not Painful!
At Desai Family Dentistry, we know decades of myths and stories about root canals make many people anxious. The truth is, root canal treatment is not painful; it’s the infection inside your tooth that causes you pain. When Dr. Desai expertly numbs the tooth, the pain goes away, and you can have a comfortable procedure.
How Does a Tooth Get Infected?
Our teeth comprise an outer layer of hard enamel and a softer layer below it called dentin. At the center of the tooth is the pulp, which consists of soft tissue, nerves, root canals, and blood vessels that keep the tooth healthy and alive.
When a tooth develops a crack or a deep cavity or suffers trauma from an accident, bacteria enter the pulp and cause an infection or dental abscess. The most common sign of an infected tooth is an excruciating toothache.
What Are the Symptoms of an Infected Tooth?
Some common symptoms of a root infection include the following:
- Severe tooth pain
- Red, swollen, or inflamed gums
- Lingering pain when biting down or touching the tooth
- Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
- A raised bump or whitish “pimple” on the gums
- An awful taste in your mouth
- A darkened tooth
If you experience any of these, it’s very important to contact your dentist in Hempstead right away. An infected tooth can quickly become a serious and even life threatening problem if not addressed promptly.
What Happens during a Root Canal?
First, you should know that Dr. Desai has 15 years of experience in performing comfortable root canal treatment. He is also very gentle and sympathetic and does everything to ensure that your procedure is efficient, comfortable, and stress-free.
The first step is to numb your tooth using a very strong local anesthetic, which ensures you won’t feel any pain. When he’s sure the tooth is completely numb, he accesses the inside of the tooth to remove the infected pulp.
Dr. Desai uses advanced rotary endodontic technology that makes root canal treatment much more efficient and comfortable than in the past. Because of its design, rotary endodontics also helps ensure that we remove every trace of infection.
The final steps are disinfecting the tooth’s interior, filling the hollow area with material to prevent reinfection, then sealing the tooth and placing a temporary filling on it.
After Root Canal Treatment
It’s common to experience some mild soreness for a day or two, which is easily relieved with an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen. Also, be sure to take any other medications as directed by Dr. Desai.
Two weeks after treatment, we’ll see you back at Desai Family Dentistry to place a dental crown or final filling on the tooth to protect it.
Emergency Root Canal Treatment in Hempstead, NY
Call Desai Family Dentistry right away if you have a severe toothache or other symptoms and think you need emergency root canal treatment. Even if Dr. Desai can’t complete the procedure that day, he will ensure that you are pain-free, and we will get you on our schedule for our next available appointment.
