Root Canals
Root canals can cause tooth sensitivity that quickly turns into excruciating pain and a dental emergency. At El Dorado Family Dental, we recommend contacting our dental office at the first sign of sensitivity. Our top El Dorado Hills, CA dentist does not want you to be in pain or risk your oral health.
A root canal is required when you have a root or pulp infection—left untreated this infection can spread to surrounding teeth and may even lead to systematic issues. Additionally, the mild tooth sensitivity associated with early root infection can turn into a toothache in as little as a few hours; it often creeps up on you!
Some patients put off root canal therapy for fear of pain, but a root canal—in the hands of a gentle and experienced dentist in El Dorado Hills, CA—is not painful. It is meant to eliminate pain.
Signs You Need a Root Canal
If you have a root infection, the signs can be mild to severe and include:
- Tooth pain
- Tooth sensitivity
- Gum swelling
- Gum or face pain
- Gum redness
- A bump or blister on the gum
After the treatment area is thoroughly numb—our dentist offers sedation dentistry and oral sedation if you suffer from dental anxiety—decay, root, and pulp are cleared away, alleviating the painful infection. Then the area is thoroughly cleaned to promote healing. Our dentist then closes it with a rubber-like sealant. Finally, we will recommend a filling or a crown. We generally recommend a tooth crown when the infection has compromised a back tooth, leaving it vulnerable to breakage when chewing