Root Canal Therapy
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
 Especially for a tooth that has been bothersome for a while, by the time you get around to making a dental appointment, the damage could be so extensive that it may seem like having the tooth extracted is the best course of action. Palani Center for Dental Implants understands how important it can be to try to save your natural tooth first, however, and will do what we can before considering removal.
How to Save a Tooth
Even with careful brushing and flossing, regular bi-yearly checkups, and maintaining a healthful diet, it only takes six months for something to happen, and sometimes it does. If a tooth is not looking well, the gumline is tender, and you experience pain, it is important to come to see us immediately! Once we are aware of abnormal irritation at a sensitive site, we can begin to treat it right then. It should not be a priority to remove the endangered tooth, but rather to begin to heal the infection inside your mouth.
Through the use of x-rays, we can determine what is happening inside your jaw and determine the extent of the damage. Because we want to save the tooth, we will carefully inspect the root and the surrounding tissues to decide if we can preserve it. Your tooth is comprised of a few layers. The external part that you see is the enamel. The part right under that is the dentin. Beneath that is the pulp, which while you are growing your tooth is essential to the root development. Once your tooth is fully formed, it's no longer necessary, and your tooth can sustain without it.
The Modern-Day Root Canal
If you were to ask children these days what they fear the most, you would likely hear something along the lines of sharks, monsters, and bugs. Having dental anxiety now is derived only from a new experience which as long as it is a positive one, should never cause a child to develop a fear of the dental chair.
Because of the recent advancements in the field of dentistry, there are now fewer loud noises associated with the equipment, faster treatment times, and much better methods of pain management. What was once considered an anxiety-inducing option could now be one of the best methods of restoration. It can actually be more cost-efficient to have a root canal now to save the tooth rather than having an extraction and having to consider a pricy dental implant in the future.
The process is simple and may only take a couple of hours to complete. Once your mouth is numb, and you are comfortable, an incision is made at the infected site. The infected pulp is removed, and a filling is applied to prevent bacteria from causing further damage. After the incision is sewn up, the procedure is done. We will discuss aftercare and any side effects you may have following the surgery so you can monitor your recovery effectively.
For any questions you may have about root canals or the field of endodontics, we here at Palani Center for Dental Implants would love to answer your questions. Give us a call at (310) 894-8337, and we will be happy to schedule a consultation for you.
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