Root canal Therapy

Root Canal Therapy in in Alliston, ON

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What’s a Root Canal?

A root canal might sound intimidating, but it’s simply a treatment to save an infected tooth.

Your tooth has two parts: the crown above the gums and the roots that anchor it in your jaw. Inside is a hollow space called the pulp chamber, which connects to narrow root canals containing nerves and blood vessels. While these nerves help you sense pressure and temperature, they aren’t essential for your tooth’s long-term health.

When infection reaches the pulp, the nerves cause sharp pain. Root canal therapy gently removes the infection and inflamed nerves while preserving the tooth structure. This relieves pain and saves your natural tooth, helping you keep a healthy smile for life.

When We Recommend Root Canal Therapy

Have you been dealing with a toothache that comes and goes? Maybe you feel a sharp pain when you bite down, or a sudden sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks. You might even notice a tooth that looks darker than the others. Or perhaps you’ve woken up with a swollen face and severe pain. These are all signs that you may need to seek root canal treatment for pain relief.

Most root canal procedures are needed because harmful bacteria have found a way to reach the center of the tooth, causing a painful infection and pressure to build inside.

Here are some common reasons why this happens:

Hidden Decay: A cavity can sometimes develop in hard-to-see places, like between teeth or underneath an old filling or crown. This decay can go unnoticed for a long time, allowing bacteria to quietly work their way to the tooth’s core.
Untreated Cavities: If a cavity is not addressed with a filling, it will eventually progress and compromise the center of your tooth.
Tooth Trauma: A significant chip, fracture, or broken piece of a tooth can create a direct path for bacteria to enter the pulp.
Past Injury: Sometimes an injury that happened years ago, like a slip and fall or a sports-related accident, can cause an injury to the nerve that doesn’t show up right away.
Cracked Tooth Syndrome: These are tiny, “greenstick” fractures, often caused by extreme bite pressure, clenching, or grinding. These small cracks are not always visible but can allow bacteria to get inside your tooth.
Repeated Dental Procedures: A tooth that has had multiple fillings or procedures over time may become chronically irritated, leading to nerve damage.

We understand that thinking about a root canal can be stressful, but we want you to know that this procedure is designed to relieve your pain and save your natural tooth. Our team is here to help you get out of pain and back to a healthy smile.

The Root Canal Treatment Process

Our first priority is always to get you out of pain as quickly as possible. We will see you promptly, make an accurate diagnosis, and, depending on your situation, may either prescribe medication beforehand or begin treatment right away. We want you to feel comfortable and confident in the process,

so here are the steps we will take:

Getting you comfortable: We will start by thoroughly numbing the tooth, which brings immediate relief from the discomfort.
Accessing the infection: We’ll gently remove any damaged or decayed areas to access the pulp chamber and relieve the pressure that’s causing your pain.
Removing the source of infection: Using specialized instruments, we will carefully remove the infected tissue and nerves from the pulp chamber and root canals.
Cleaning and sealing the tooth: We’ll then thoroughly sanitize the inside of your tooth to ensure all the remaining bacteria are gone, and then seal the area to protect it.
Placing a temporary restoration: A temporary filling made of a white composite material will be placed to protect your tooth while it heals.
Placing the final crown: We prefer to wait a few weeks before placing the permanent porcelain crown. This gives us a chance to make sure the underlying infection is completely resolved.

For you, the procedure will feel very similar to getting a filling, and your recovery will be just as simple. The area might be a little tender for a day or two, but this can usually be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. You can get back to your normal routine after the numbness wears off. If we prescribe antibiotics, please be sure to finish the entire prescription as directed.

Where to Have Root Canal Treatment Performed in Alliston, ON

When you need a root canal, we understand you want to be treated by a professional you can trust. Our general dentists are fully trained and qualified to provide expert root canal therapy, so you don’t have to worry about being referred to a specialist you don’t know.

Whether you’re concerned about the cost of a root canal or simply prefer to have the procedure in a familiar setting, our team is here for you. We have extensive experience in root canal treatment and are proud of our excellent long-term success rate.

While there are many great options for tooth replacement today, our team’s goal is to help you keep your own natural tooth whenever possible. A root canal is often the best way to do that.

If you’re ready to get out of pain and save your smile, give us a call at 705-410-0961 to become a patient at Dominion Street Dental. We look forward to helping you.