Importance of Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatments impose safety on a tooth that had become unsafe. This can happen due to advanced decay or, most critically, damage to the dental nerve. When this kind of damage occurs, it’s usually due to one of the following factors:

•    Acute trauma
•    Accumulated trauma from repeated dental work
•    Accumulated trauma from grinding or clenching
•    Increased workload due to a missing tooth nearby

It can also be said that a dental nerve starts to deteriorate naturally from the moment the tooth erupts. Whether or not you need a root canal is often a judgment call by your dentist, because it is often impossible to adequately predict nerve trauma even with proper x-rays. But once inflammation or infection occurs, it can be without warning, and with excruciating pain. Then the recourses are extraction, or root canal. Of these, root canal is preferred by our LA endodontists.

Root canal does not fully restore any damaged tooth structure, and there’s unfortunately no way to repair the access hole required to treat the dental nerve and remove all infected dental pulp. But a root canal will still leave you with more functionality and bite force than an extraction followed by a prosthetic.

For more information, including the cost of root canal in LA, contact our team.

Root Canal Therapy Process

An infected tooth is considered a dental emergency, as is a severely broken one. In either case, surgery is likely needed. This is because the inside of the tooth, or the pulp, has been affected. The pulp consists of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues. Our dentist in Orange County can perform a root canal treatment to will restore the tooth back to health.

Many believe that a root canal therapy is very painful, but this is actually not the case. This treatment is meant to alleviate pain caused by infection and damage. And thanks to local anesthesia, patients do not feel anything at all. Our root canal dentist in Orange County will create a hole in the tooth with a drill. They can then access the pulp in order to remove the decayed tissue. Removing any and all of the decayed tissue is removed, as this is the only way the infection will be completely remedied.

After this is completed, the pulp will be replaced with a packing material called gutta percha. The tooth will then be capped with a dental crown. This will restore strength and protect it from further damage. Sometimes, root canal retreatment is necessary, to remove missed decayed tissue.

Is Root Canal an Option for Me?

A root canal is typically recommended when a tooth is decayed or damaged and cannot be repaired with other more conservative therapies. The nerve of the tooth is typically inflamed, dying or dead, and there may be an infection affecting the inner tissues of the tooth or at the base of the tooth. Our endodontists will typically recommend a root canal to save a tooth that is badly damaged but otherwise viable.

The pulp of a tooth can become inflamed or infected when the tooth develops deep decay or a crack. This allows bacteria to access the inner tissues of the tooth, leading to inflammation. The pulp can become infected and swell, leading to irritation. You may experience a toothache ranging from mild to severe, and it may worsen when you change posture. Your tooth may also be hypersensitive to temperature changes, and the discomfort may linger even after the offending substance has been removed from your mouth. The pain may go away when you bite down on your tooth. You might also notice a pimple or swollen area near the root of the tooth. These are all signs of infection or an abscess.

Root canals today are painless and are typically completed in a single appointment. However, you will need to return to our office to have the tooth restored using a dental crown. This protects the tooth and prevents it from becoming infected again. Call our root canal doctor in LA today to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

Oral Care for Seniors

As a normal part of the aging process, many years of wear and tear on the teeth make them more prone to damage and loss. That is why it is important for seniors to take special care of their teeth and gums in order to help them last and maintain a good quality of life.

However, even when teeth are lost, tooth replacement is possible through the use of bridges, dentures, and implants. Even when these artificial teeth are in place, it is still important to take proper oral care measures in order to keep up with good overall health and wellness. Dental appliances may cause cuts and infections when not cleaned or cared for properly. Any infection in the gums, with or without natural teeth, can enter the blood stream. This may cause additional health problems, including heart attack or stroke.

It is important for seniors to keep up with a good oral hygiene routine at home, brushing and flossing twice each day or as recommended. Remove appliances as directed and clean well. Gums can be cleaned and massaged with a damp rag. See your dentist or a Los Angeles endodontist regularly for preventive treatment options.

What are the Options for Treating a Decayed Tooth?

Decayed teeth need treatment as soon as possible. Without treatment, the decay will continue, and could reach the inner parts of the tooth, necessitating root canal treatment, or an extraction if the decay is severe enough.

Common options for treating decayed teeth include:

•    Dental Fillings
Fillings are one of the most common treatments for cavities. Once the decayed tissue is removed, a dental material is used to fill the cavity and restore the tooth.

•    Inlays and Onlays
These restorations are similar to dental fillings, but can cover a larger part of the tooth, including the cusps, or biting surfaces. They are typically made of dental porcelain for an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

•    Dental Crowns
A severely decayed tooth might not be able to be restored with a filling, onlay, or inlay. A dental crown may be a better option. Crowns cover the affected tooth completely and restore the look, strength, and health of the tooth.

If the decay has affected the pulp, you will likely need a root canal to treat the tooth and a crown to restore it. Prevention is best: brush, floss and visit us regularly for cleanings and checkups. Call our LA endodontist today to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

Taking Care of Teeth After Root Canal

A root canal treatment removes diseased tissue from the inner canals of the tooth. After the treatment, our expert in endodontics in LA will explain the best way to take care of your treated tooth. Proper aftercare is important because it will promote healing and reduce the risk of complications.

You may have some lingering soreness and sensitivity. This is normal, since it can take some time for the inflammation to fully subside. You can use warm salt water rinses a few times a day to address pain and swelling. Pain medication can also be helpful for some patients.

Brushing and flossing will continue to be important. You need to remove the plaque from your teeth daily to prevent decay and reinfection, as well as to keep the rest of your mouth healthy. An antimicrobial mouthwash can also be beneficial.

Avoid any foods that are hard or particularly sticky, since these can damage a temporary restoration. If you grind your teeth at night, you will need to wear a night guard to reduce the risk of damage to your teeth. Schedule a follow-up appointment to have your permanent restoration completed. Call our root canal dentist in LA today to learn more.

When is Getting a Root Canal the Best Option?

Root canal therapies are considered one of the most feared treatments in dentistry, thought of as extremely painful. The truth is that the purpose of root canal therapies is to relieve the pain caused by infected teeth. If a tooth is not cleaned well enough, decay can develop and grow to reach the center of the tooth, where the pulp resides, causing inflammation or infection. Patients experiencing this issue will learn that root canal therapy is the best option for restoring the functionality of the tooth and eliminating pain.

Our Los Angeles endodontics expert will begin the process by administering a local anesthetic to the affected area. They will then create a hole in the tooth and use special tools to remove the infected and inflamed pulp. Once removed, the pulp will be replaced with a dental material called “gutta percha”. The tooth is then capped with a crown to restore its strength and functionality.

Our expert in root canal treatment in Los Angeles may also recommend the treatment if repeated dental procedures have affected the tooth, or the pulp has been damaged by a break or chip. You can learn more about root canal treatment by visiting our endodontist in Los Angeles.

Types of Endodontic Surgery

An endodontist has one overarching aim when it comes to dental treatments: keep the natural tooth in place. This is because even though there are effective alternatives to real teeth, nothing works quite as well. This is the principle that guides our expert in endodontics in Los Angeles.

The first step our doctor will attempt is root canal therapy. This process goes from the top of the tooth and tries to remove and repair any damage that way. This is not considered surgery because no tissue is cut. This involves finding root canals that extend from the tooth into the supporting tissue. There are times, however, when the decay is either too deep or stubborn, or there is another root canal that is small and not found during the original procedure or in X-rays.

To figure out the source of continued dental problems, a dentist might suggest endodontic surgery. These processes involve cutting into the soft tissue at the base of the tooth to literally get at the root of the problem. The most common of these surgeries is called apicoectomy, or root-end resection. In it, the doctor will open the tissue, remove the infection below the base of the tooth, and then remove a small portion of the root itself. The bottom of the root is then capped with a filling to seal it, and a couple stitches or sutures are used to re-close the tissue.

There are other endodontic surgeries, too. For example, at times it might be necessary to split the tooth in half, or repair a root, or even remove a root altogether. There is even one that involves removing the entire tooth and doing work on it while it is out of the mouth, then replacing it.

As noted above, the aim of all endodontic work is to save the original tooth. If you are looking for an expert in endodontic surgery in Los Angeles, contact our office today.