Root Canal Therapy

Honeygo Village Dentistry - Root Canals

The root canal is a procedure that enables teeth to beretained.  The toothmay be injured, discolored, sensitive while eating, or have an abscesscausing swelling and drainage.  In somecases, there may not be any symptoms at all. A dental x-ray of the entire tooth will help the dentist to diagnose theproblem and treatment plan a root canal.

The dentist then will administer local anesthetic to ensurepatient comfort.  The dentist removes the pulpand smooths the canals with long, thin, and sharp files. 

An x-ray will be taken to ensure that the canal(s) have beencompletely cleared to the apex (root tip). The depth of the canals will then bemeasured by a special electronic measuring device and by files.  Canals are filled with a sealer andgutta-percha materials.  Then, a temporaryfilling is placed to seal the access area of the root canal. 

Eventually, the temporary filling will need to be removedand a more permanent restoration placed.  Itis common to have a crown placed over the root canal treated tooth.  With proper dental hygiene and dental care, aroot canal treated tooth can last just as long as other teeth; keeping a smilehealthy, happy and pain free for many years.