Endodontic Treatment

Endodontic treatment or root canal therapy, one of the most regular dental procedures, is essential to saving teeth and preventing the need for dental implants or bridges. It primarily treats problems affecting the pulp, a collection of blood vessels, nerves, and tissues. When the pulp becomes infected, this could result in constant pain, increased sensitivity, or swelling.

At Stevens Creek Family Dentistry, our patients often come to us with excruciating tooth pain due to the infected tooth. When appropriate, we regularly perform root canal endodontic treatments in order to cure infections and save our patients' teeth.

Do You Need a Root Canal?

A root canal cannot be avoided if you are suffering from the following symptoms: 

• You feel acute pain while chewing and biting.
• The tooth has developed a large cavity.
• The gums have decayed or are darkened.
• A tooth has chipped or has developed cracks.
• The gums have swollen or become tender.
• The tooth has become acutely sensitive to hot or cold foods.

How Does the Root Canal Treatment Work?

A root canal endodontic procedure is performed by drilling a small hole in the tooth to extract all of the infected areas. The infected pulp is removed, and sometimes even the roots. 

The tooth roots enable you to feel sensations like hot and cold, as well as provide nourishment to the teeth. Once the tooth has fully grown, removing the roots will not harm it directly. However, removing them when they are infected could prevent the further spread of infection. So when it is necessary, the tooth's roots are removed promptly, after which we will clean the area to ensure that the infection is eradicated. We will prescribe antibiotics to make sure that any remaining infection is eliminated.

Once the infected pulp has been extracted, we will seal the hole using a unique medicated material called gutta-percha. This is a rubber-like substance that could help to provide stability to the tooth. At Stevens Creek Family Dentistry, we will then use restorations such as a filling or crown to further strengthen and protect the damaged tooth. The restorative appliances can be designed to match your other existing teeth so that they will blend in well in the mouth.

What Are Some Benefits of a Root Canal Process?

• The patients get relief from all the pain and uneasiness.
• A timely root canal procedure can avoid tooth extraction.
• The treatment will be less costly than other restoration treatments; at the same time, the tooth is saved.
• The alignment of the teeth in the mouth gets disturbed if a tooth is lost. Root canal treatment could save you from all this trouble.

Dr. Tracy Ngo at Stevens Creek Dentistry in Santa Clara could help you get your bright smile back. Call us today at 408-261-8882 to schedule your dental consultation and know more about our endodontic treatments.