At SoundBridge Center for Dental Arts, Dr. Bloomquist and our excellent team of dental professionals will do everything possible to save your natural tooth from oral infection and extraction. One of the ways we do this is by performing root canal treatment when necessary to eliminate your infection, alleviate your pain, and save your tooth.
Learn more about root canal therapy and why it may be the best option for preserving your damaged tooth.
Root canal therapy is a treatment used when a cavity has been left untreated long enough for a bacterial infection to reach the center of a tooth. This area, called the pulp chamber, is home to sensitive nerve endings that cause severe pain when infected. When an oral infection reaches this far, the entire health of the tooth is at risk.
With root canal therapy, we’ll remove the infected tissue of the tooth in order to preserve it. The pain caused by the infection will subside and your tooth will be saved from extraction.
There are many common signs that could indicate a possible root canal infection. We recommend calling our Gig Harbor office right away if you experience any of the following issues:
If your tooth decay is left untreated for too long, it can spread from the root canal into other parts of your body. You can develop swelling in the face, neck, or head and lose bone density around the tooth root. An untreated oral infection also causes severe pain and will impact your daily life.
Root canal therapy can prevent the infection from spreading to this point and alleviate any pain or discomfort you’re feeling.
Prior to your procedure, Dr. Bloomquist will first take an X-ray to get a more detailed look at the condition of your root canals. She’ll check and see how far the infection has spread and decide whether or not root canal therapy is the best option.
Once the procedure is approved, Dr. Bloomquist will administer a local anesthetic to numb your tooth and the surrounding area. If you suffer from dental anxiety, we can discuss dental sedation options to create a more comfortable environment.
From there, we’ll drill a small hole in the crown of the affected tooth and remove the infected pulp. The pulp will be replaced with a rubber compound to keep the tooth solid and prevent reinfection. The hole in the exterior of the tooth will then be closed with a dental composite to make it more secure.
Some teeth may need additional support. To strengthen the tooth even more, Dr. Bloomquist may place a dental crown over the tooth.
Root canal therapy usually takes around 60 to 90 minutes for one tooth. If you have a complex root structure or have multiple teeth that need treatment, your procedure may take longer or you may need multiple appointments to complete your root canal procedure.
Before your procedure, Dr. Bloomquist will scan your mouth to get an idea of the complexity of your root structure. From there, she’ll plan your procedure and let you know whether your treatment will require more than one appointment.
While root canal therapy has a reputation for being painful, technology and techniques have advanced to increase your comfort during the procedure. Most patients compare root canal therapy to receiving a tooth filling.
A local anesthetic is administered to ensure you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. But if you’re anxious or feel uncomfortable about an upcoming root canal, Dr. Bloomquist can administer sedation. The sedation will help you relax and dulls your senses, making the procedure more comfortable.
Though we’ll always do our best to save your natural tooth, sometimes a tooth is too severely infected to be saved. In these cases, we may recommend having the tooth extracted to prevent the spread of infection. Among our services, we offer dental implants to replace an extracted tooth. Implants are designed to appear and function just like your natural teeth.
If you think you may be in need of root canal therapy, don’t hesitate to contact our office. We’ll make sure your procedure is as comfortable as can be with our highly qualified staff and advanced technology. We’re convenient to patients from throughout the South Sound area at our Gig Harbor office.
You can call (253) 857-4114 to reach us or fill out our online contact form and we’ll get right back to you.