Root Canals

A root canal is usually referred to as the dental method used to relieve pain or remove infected material from the inner passages between the roots and pulp of a tooth. It usually involves eliminating the impaired area, disinfecting, cleaning, and sealing after. Adult teeth have a very significant job sensing cold, heat, and other incentives. Root canal soreness can be very painful and tender because it contains several blood vessels and nerves. In certain cases, a specialist in endodontics is necessary. At our office, our staff can determine what would be the best approach.

Generally, pain in a root canal is triggered by:

•    Decay: Chips or cracks in a tooth that can possibly cause tooth decay or root canal pain.
•    Damage: If tooth decay enters the outer layers of a tooth it can cause severe discomfort in the root canals.
•    Disease: When a patient needs frequent dental procedures in the same region it can cause deep tooth decay and ultimately cause pain within the root canal.
•    Abscess tooth, infection and swelling of the gums

If severe canal problems go untreated, it can possibly cause infection within the tooth pulp causing major trauma to the teeth. However, not all tooth pain is considered for a root canal procedure. After an evaluation at our office, we can recommend that you have a root canal completed or send you to an endodontist if no other alternative can be made.

It goes without saying that no one enjoys getting their teeth done, but when suffering from real tooth pain it’s vital to address the problem quickly. The sooner you get attention, the more likely you will save the tooth. Not to mention, you will feel 100% better. Whether you have an injured tooth, tooth pain, sensitive teeth, or there is noticeable swelling around the teeth or gums; you should contact our office for a thorough examination. Only then will you know if you need a root canal or not.

Signs of infection that are in need of a root canal consist of:

• Pain while eating or when pressure is applied to the area
• Teeth that have sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
• Small bumps on or near the gums of the tooth or teeth in pain
• Swelling and tenderness of the gums
• Blackening of the tooth

Depending on the severity of the pain, our office will do our best to accommodate short notice emergencies. Our office has advanced technologies and equipment such as digital imaging, ultrasonic instrumentation, fiber optics, as well as to correctly diagnosis and render treatment. You may feel some tooth sensitivity and pain afterwards. It’s important to follow routine oral care and hygiene to prevent further tooth pain in the future. It is recommended to use a soft-bristle toothbrush designed for sensitive teeth after the root canal procedure. For further questions, information, or to make an appointment, please give us a call today.

If you are in pain, we also offer IV sedation for our Seattle patients that require additional pain management.
Once the root canal is completed, uou may feel some tooth sensitivity and pain afterwards. We will give you post procedure instructions and follow up.

For more information on Dental IV Sedation with your procedure, check out our speciality Sedation page.