At Pier 210 Dental Group, we know that the words “root canal” often stir up feelings of anxiety and dread. Oftentimes patients expect to need fillings in teeth but don’t expect to need more extensive treatments, and thus become alarmed and fearful when a root canal procedure is needed.
At Pier 210 Dental Group, we make it a priority to ensure our patients feel comfortable and relaxed during their root canal endodontics procedure. We have several different ways to reduce or completely eliminate both anxiety and physical discomfort during the root canal process and are trained in using oral sedation.
We offer a relaxation room, have medications that patients may take before the procedure to relax them, and we also offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help reduce anxiety. Our painless dentistry treatments are just another way that we make sure our patients are taken care of as a whole individual with both their mental and physical well-being prioritized.
Why is a root canal needed rather than simply fillings in teeth?
When you have cavities, fillings in teeth can be effective at preventing further decay, but sometimes if a tooth becomes too infected, the infection can spread deeper down into the middle of the tooth, called the dental pulp. The dental pulp contains blood vessels and nerves which makes it the most sensitive area of the tooth itself.
When the dental pulp becomes infected, it often becomes excruciatingly painful very quickly due to the close proximity of infection to the nerves. We recommend immediate treatment to eliminate the pain and prevent the infection from spreading even further. If you live in or around the Auburn area, we can generally fit you in to schedule an emergency root canal quickly so that you do not have to wait in pain.
What does the treatment entail?
Unlike fillings in teeth that are done more at surface level, a root canal procedure generally starts with numbing the area and then creating a small hole within the tooth. This hole provides access for us to remove any infection, and prepare the roots for the final filling material. After cleaning the infected area and removal of the infected pulp (nerve and blood vessels), we then place a biocompatable material to seal the tooth. The root canaled tooth will need to be restored, typically with a ceramic crown to prevent the tooth from fracturing.
Why Remove the Nerve?
The purpose of tooth nerves are both to help the tooth grow when you were a child and to continue to help your teeth feel hot and cold sensations into adulthood. Once the tooth has fully grown, however, removing the pulp does not cause a problem or harm the jaw bone. The benefit is that by removing the pulp, we can prevent the infection from spreading into the surrounding tissue and bone. It is essential to take care of this problem quickly before it becomes worse.
Once all of the dental pulp and nerves have been removed, we thoroughly clean and disinfect the area to ensure that all infection has been eliminated. We will also prescribe antibiotics to reduce the chance of any infection returning while the area heals. The canals are then filled with an inert, biocompatible material to prevent re-infection.
At Pier 210 dental we typically use crowns or fillings in teeth to protect and strengthen the tooth. While typical fillings in teeth used to be silver, both the crowns over the top of teeth, and the fillings in teeth can now be easily created in a matching tooth color, so that your damaged tooth looks natural when the procedure is finished.
Experiencing Tooth Discomfort? Get In Touch with us at Pier210 Dental Today!
If you notice pain or sensitivity in your teeth, give us a call immediately so that we can determine if fillings in teeth are needed or if a more extensive root canal procedure would be best. We want to help you resolve any issues quickly to prevent further damage and pain from occurring. It is our goal to help you smile your brightest and feel your best by providing high-quality, personal care to each of our patients.
We are located at 635 Mikkelsen Dr. in Auburn, California and always provide the very highest quality dental care to families in Placer County and the Greater Sacramento Area. Browse all of the positive reviews we’ve received from our patients, and feel free to contact us with any questions you have before your appointment. If you would prefer to request an appointment online rather than calling, simply use our convenient appointment request form located here.
