“I would rather get a root canal instead of hang out with the in-laws on my day off!” I love my in-laws, so you would never catch me saying this, but root canals do get a lot of bad press. Most people would rather do anything other than get a tooth pulled or have a root canal. Here at Modern Mint Dental Care, we want to change people’s experiences and perspectives of root canals.
So, do you need a root canal? A root canal is warranted due to several different factors. Trauma to a tooth can damage the health of the nerve inside of a tooth and the nerve dies. Bacteria that are naturally occurring in our body can come across this dead nerve tissue and start to “feed” on the tissue, which allows the bacteria to proliferate and create an area of localized infection known by many as an abscess. Sometimes abscesses can be asymptomatic, but typically they present in a patient’s mouth with swelling and pain. No matter what, an abscess is diagnosed from an x-ray taken during a checkup. Other situations that require a root canal include deep decay that has exposed the nerve creating an infection or an irritated tooth that presents with cold or hot sensitivity.
Once a root canal has been diagnosed, the procedure will begin with the dentist completely numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Then, if decay is present, it is removed along with the infected or dead nerve tissue with special advanced instrumentation. Additionally, the dentist will apply medication that completely disinfects the space where the nerve used to be. Very often, Dr. Henzlik prefers to complete this treatment in two appointments to ensure that the tooth settles down from symptoms and to allow the special long-acting medication to completely remove the infection before restoration begins. This process ensures that the final restoration will be permanent and that you won’t need another visit to address the problem. Using the latest technologies and techniques allow for painless and efficient care and have made the experience of a root canal a little more bearable.
With the techniques to make your experience virtually painless and the technology to allow us to be incredibly conservative in completing your root canal therapy, we have found patients to be very satisfied and more motivated to have a root canal done over other dental procedures.
Our main goal is to get our patients on a maintenance schedule in order to prevent these situations, but if you do experience significant pain or swelling, it is always best to call to schedule a proper evaluation by Dr. Phil Henzlik to determine if a root canal is warranted. Call us at 720-853-0350 or reach us by email at [email protected]. You can also instantly schedule an appointment here.
