When a tooth is injured or develops an infection, then you need treatment for the interior of your tooth. Otherwise, you could risk worsening pain and tooth loss! In today’s blog, your Londonderry, NH, dentist talks about how we protect and save smiles with a root canal procedure.
Trauma and Infection
Endodontic treatment addresses concerns in the interior of your tooth, which means we can treat infection and also trauma to a tooth. A dental infection means that cavities or injuries have allowed harmful oral bacteria to reach the interior of the tooth. The tooth is then infected once contact is made with the pulp, and lack of care with a root canal could allow the tooth to be lost. The same goes for a tooth that is broken or fractured, as the injury increases the risk of tooth decay and infection, and we can treat the complications in the interior of the tooth and cap it with a crown following the endodontic procedure, preserving the smile. When a tooth hurts or is injured, please reach out to our team today.
Planning Treatment
To begin, we want to take a close look at your smile and assess the severity of your infection. With digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, our team will examine the infected tooth and assess the extent of the injuries present. We then plan treatment with precision and accuracy. These individual systems offer high-definition images instantly chairside, so you spend less time in the chair, and they use 90% less radiation too! Every tooth and infection is unique, and we have treatments to offer relief. In addition to root canal therapy, we can offer retreatment and even a surgical procedure should the infection occur at the tip of a tooth root.
Root Canal Treatment
With root canal therapy, our team will plan the treatment in detail and then administer a local numbing agent and sedation to ensure you are calm and comfortable. We then move forward with treatment, opening the tooth to access and remove the infected tissues from within. Once we do, our team will clean the interior of the tooth. The next step in the root canal is to add a special filling material to the tooth. The last step is to cap the tooth with a dental crown, which can protect the tooth and also be shaded to blend with your smile and offer an attractive appearance!
Retreatment
What happens if you received a root canal from another practice years ago or recently, and the tooth begins to hurt again? This could mean the root canal failed, either failing to seal the area and protect the tooth, or due to contamination being present when the crown was placed. But our team can offer retreatment to address the issue. We plan the procedure in detail and numb the tooth, so we can remove the crown and treat the interior of the tooth. Once we remove the old filling and clean the tooth, we add the new filling and cap the tooth with a cosmetic crown.
Apicoectomy
Also known as root canal surgery, this is a treatment that helps teeth that have had an infection form at the tip of the root canals. We plan the treatment in detail and then numb the area, so we can open the gums and access the tip of the tooth. We then remove the infected tissues and cap the tip with a special restorative material. We then suture the area closed. This helps stop discomfort and protects your tooth from being lost or infection from reaching other parts of your smile.
Protecting Your Tooth
We can also discuss good oral health habits to lower your risk of future concerns, such as seeing your general dentist for a checkup and cleaning every few months, brushing and flossing at home, and cutting back on sugar and starch in your diet. These actions help protect your teeth from being lost, and also manage discomfort and prevent the spread of issues like infection. If you have any questions about how we save teeth with a root canal, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help keep your smile healthy and strong for years to come.
Schedule A Visit With Dr. Karimipour for Treatment to Save Your Tooth
Our team wants to help you avoid tooth loss and serious discomfort with an endodontic treatment! Talk to our team about our endodontic treatment options and more by calling My Dentist in Londonderry, NH at (603)965-3407!
