Endodontist
In addition to providing root canal therapy, endodontics dentist specialties include surgery to fix a tooth that didn't completely heal after a root canal. They can also perform apicoectomies, which are surgeries that extract the tip of a tooth's roots.
Root canals are common procedures and can help save your tooth from extraction. Dentists at JP Dental have been safely and expertly performing root canal procedures for over two decades. Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime. Years ago, diseased or injured teeth were usually pulled. But today, a tooth can often be saved through root canal (endodontic) treatment. If damaged or infected pulp is not removed, the tissues around the root of the tooth can become infected. Pain and swelling often result. Even if there is no pain, bacteria can damage the bone that holds the tooth in the jaw. Without treatment, the tooth may have to be removed.
Many people worry that a root canal will be an extremely painful experience, and while that may have been the case decades ago -- it's not true today. With today's technology and anesthetic capabilities, a root canal should not be any more painful than your typical cavity fill, which is practically not at all.
Only a small number of root canals fail. The procedure has a success rate of 86% to 98%, which means only 2-14% fail. At JP Dental, we find that a large majority of our patients do not have any trouble with their root canals.
Here in Los Algodones, as in JP Dental, our Dentist advises to have a crown placed on as soon as any discomfort from the root canal subsides. The longer the time without the crown, the higher chance of the tooth breaking. Your Root Canal investment is lost when a tooth breaks because you didn't get the crown soon enough.
Antibiotics play a crucial role in managing root canal infections, but they should not be considered a standalone solution. They're mostly help manage the spread of the infection and provide temporary relief from symptoms.
There are Consequences when avoiding a Root Canal that is needed. If the infection spreads and is left untreated, it can cause you to lose your tooth. In severe cases of infection you could lose part of your jaw, or even lead to dental abscesses. Beyond that it could become a life-threatening stroke, sepsis, or heart attack. As the infection progresses so will the pain, which will be excruciating.
In our experience, practicing in the Los Algodones area for over two decades, one of the most effective cures for root canal anxiety is education. Our goal is to help relieve your stress with information.
We utilize many different techniques to keep our patients comfortable during their appointments, from warm blankets to thorough anesthetizing. Valium is another option that provides a deep level of calm and relaxation while allowing the patient to remain awake. During your evaluation, feel free to share any anxious feelings you may be experiencing about treatment, and our Dentist can determine if Valium would be an appropriate calming method for you. In the end, a root canal enables many patients to keep their natural teeth and smile, and what’s a better outcome than that?