Once the nerve has been damaged or has died, it can cause pain or other problems. The infection can continue beyond the roots of the teeth and may drain into the mouth or damage the jawbone tissue. A root canal procedure can remove the diseased soft tissues without needing to remove the entire tooth. You may benefit from endodontic therapy if you have deep decay, a badly broken tooth or an infection or abscess.
At your appointment, we will start by numbing the tooth with a local anesthetic. Sedation may also be available for patients with dental anxiety. Once the tooth is completely numb, we will access the canals of the tooth so that we can remove the nerve and other tissues, or the pulp. Next, the canals will be carefully shaped and cleaned before being sealed. After your root canal, you may be prescribed antibiotics to help promote healing.
Most patients experience significant relief after their root canal treatments because the source of the pain has been removed. However, if the infection spread beyond the tooth or caused significant inflammation in the tissues around the tooth, you may have some tenderness for a few days after the procedure. This will resolve as the inflammation subsides. Call us today to learn more about endodontic therapy or to schedule an appointment with our Glendale dentist. Root canals are done by out endodontist.