What Happens During a Root Canal?

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A root canal can seem scary, but it doesn’t have to be. The more you know about root canals and what to expect, the less troubling the procedure may be. Your dentist in Cocoa FL can help by answering your questions and giving you information about what happens during a root canal. In this article, we’ll answer your commonly asked questions about root canal procedures.

What Is a Root Canal?

A root canal is an emergency dental procedure. Your dentist will give you a root canal if you have a dental infection in your tooth. The root canal is a procedure to save your tooth and prevent the infection from spreading elsewhere in your body. Without a root canal, your tooth may become so infected that it needs extraction.

Root Canal Procedure

During the root canal procedure, the dentist will drill into your tooth and remove the infected pulp. After sanitizing the tooth and sealing it, the dentist will place a cap (called a crown) over your tooth. This crown will help protect your teeth from further infection and reinforce the tooth enamel to prevent it from breaking.

Signs You Need a Root Canal

The dentist will tell you if you need a root canal. However, you may notice some signs such as:

  • You have a severe toothache that won’t go away.
  • Your face is swollen in the area around your tooth.
  • Your tooth is sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.
  • Your breath is bad and brushing your teeth won’t fix the problem.

Do you need root canal therapy in Cocoa FL? Don’t wait. Call your dentist at PSJ Dental Care to schedule your dental appointment.

Do You Need a Root Canal?

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The symptoms of many oral health problems can overlap, so it can be challenging to know if you need a root canal in Cocoa, FL. While we encourage you to schedule an appointment anytime you are experiencing pain or other new symptoms, knowing the signs of infected tooth pulp that indicate you need a root canal is helpful.

Understanding the Anatomy of a Tooth

The inside of each of your teeth contains blood vessels and pulp that can become infected. The most typical reasons for infection include severe tooth decay, a deep crack in the tooth, chronic tooth grinding, an injury to the face, and bacteria inside your mouth penetrating the tooth. When you get a root canal, our dentist removes the infected pulp, cleans the inside of the tooth, and places a dental cap over it if it’s a back-chewing tooth. The cap helps to prevent further inflammation.

Signs You May Have an Infected Tooth

Persistent, throbbing pain that does not respond to typical home remedies like non-prescription pain relievers or ice packs is one of the most obvious signs that you could be dealing with infected tooth pulp. Other things to look for include:

  • Tooth appears black or gray instead of its usual color
  • Increased sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks
  • Chip or crack in the tooth
  • Pain while eating or when you touch the tooth
  • Swollen gums
  • Pus or pimples on your gums
  • Tooth feels loose

Never ignore these symptoms hoping they will go away or try to figure out the problem on your own. You risk tooth extraction if you wait too long to schedule an appointment with PSJ Dental Care. Please contact us to schedule an appointment to determine if you need a root canal in Cocoa, FL, as soon as possible.