Root Canals Ramsey, MN
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a procedure used to treat infected and painful tooth pulp. Also known as root canal therapy, it involves disinfecting the inside of the tooth and filling it with a rubber stopper called gutta-percha. The pulp of a tooth contains nerves and blood vessels. When this part of the tooth becomes infected, usually due to a cavity, it swells up as the body’s natural response. The inflammation and swelling can be quite painful. A root canal procedure can help you feel better quickly while also allowing you to save the tooth.
Root canals get a bad rap for being associated with tooth pain. However, the actual procedure, with proper anesthesia, will alleviate any discomfort and pain you may be experiencing by stopping the spread of infection.
River’s Bend Family Dental provides a wide range of dental procedures to make it convenient for your family to tend to all its dental needs.
Common Symptoms Before a Root Canal
There are common symptoms that may indicate the need for a root canal. If you are experiencing any of the following, it’s a good idea to see your dentist early on:
- Severe sensitivity to hot and/or cold food or drinks
- Pain while pressing the tooth with a finger
- Pain while chewing
- Swollen gums or cheeks
- Chronic tooth pain
- Throbbing pain that wakes you up at night
- Sudden change in tooth color (yellow or gray)
We are always committed to providing the best care and support for our patients at River’s Bend. If you have any questions, always feel free to contact us to see if root canal therapy is right for you. We are here to provide personalized care tailored to your unique needs.
Procedure Expectations
It usually takes one or two dental appointments if you need a root canal. During the first appointment, your dentist or hygienist assesses the tooth to identify the issue. If the pulp is infected, a decision will be made on whether the tooth can be saved.
If it can be saved, you will be given the option for a root canal. Once you’ve mentally prepared and are ready to tackle the procedure, we help you get numb. Good anesthesia is the difference between a good and a bad experience with a root canal. Do note that if the tooth is severely infected, it will be harder to feel full anesthesia because of the neutralizing effect infection has on anesthesia.
As soon as you’re numb, your dentist enters the infected pulp, cleaning it out with special files and disinfectant. All the roots of the tooth are located and cleaned to the very tips. This can be a tedious task or an easy task, depending on the number of canals and if there are any curves that must be navigated. After the inside has been cleaned and filled with a rubber stopper, the tooth will either be filled, or a crown might be required to protect and seal the root canal from fracture or breakage.
Family Dentistry
At River’s Bend Family Dental, we create a comfortable environment to address the unique dental needs of your family.
Do I Need a Root Canal?
There are always risks with any procedure. Most times, the benefits of a root canal outweigh those risks. A root canal will help manage an abscess, swelling, infection, tooth discoloration, and pain. Another benefit is that you’ll be able to save the tooth. Just don’t wait too long to get any of your premolar or molar teeth capped after the root canal. This helps protect and preserve the fragile tooth afterward.
If the infection has been prolonged, you may experience some mild discomfort during the root canal. Anesthetics will have a tougher time working with a severely abscessed tooth. Dr. Wimmergren may consider just placing you on antibiotics to relieve the infection before proceeding with root canal therapy.
How Uncomfortable Is a Root Canal?
For most people, hearing the term “Root Canal” evokes dread about the procedure. Avoiding the procedure often allows an infected tooth to take greater hold of the body and exert more pain, swelling, and suffering on the patient. If you can take care of a tooth before it gets to this point, our anesthesia with nitrous gas has a much better chance of getting you comfortable throughout the procedure. Most patients after the procedure have told us that ‘it wasn’t so bad’ or ‘that wasn’t anything I imagined it to be.’ So we hope to surprise you in a pleasant way and help you through the procedure as best as possible.
Best Practices for Post-Appointment Care
After the procedure, it is important to know you may still feel pressure, swelling, and even pain. If you are experiencing any of these post-procedure symptoms, please contact our staff, as you may still have an infection that requires further care. But beyond that, we do recommend avoiding chewing on the root canal-treated tooth until it is crowned or capped (some front teeth may not need a crown). Remember, it’s always a good idea to keep up with the six-month maintenance cleanings and exams.