Are you in pain? Does it hurt when you eat food or drink something cold or hot? Our Yuma Dental office specializes in root canal therapy and can help save your teeth and preserve your natural smile.
Inside each of your teeth is dental pulp. Dental pulp has many important functions, such as providing your tooth with nerves and nutrients. However, in the event it becomes infected or damaged, it can harm the well being of your tooth. To protect your tooth and prevent it from dying, a root canal may need to be performed.
A root canal is a procedure that removes the infected or damaged dental pulp. To ensure that you’re completely comfortable, you’ll be given an anesthetic to numb the area. The decayed pulp is then carefully removed using small dental tools called files and the inner canal is cleaned with a bleaching solution.
The inner area is then refilled with filling material. This process is known as the “build-up”. If a large amount of the tooth’s structure was removed, a post may be placed in the canal to help keep the filling in place. Posterior teeth that have undergone a root canal will need a crown to protect it while healing; however, front teeth may not need it due to the smaller hole created during the procedure.
Is a root canal painful?
During your root canal, we will make you as comfortable as possible. You’ll be given an anesthetic to numb the area so you will feel nothing during the procedure.
It may take a few days for the infection and soreness to go away after the decayed dental pulp is removed. While the root canal significantly reduces the pain around the tooth, it does take a few days for it to go away.
If you have any more questions or concerns, contact 16th Street Dental in Yuma to speak with our dental team.