A root canal doesn’t have to hurt. In fact, a root canal shouldn’t hurt.
That’s what we believe at Beaumont Family Dentistry.
We would prefer to treat your problems before a root canal treatment is necessary, but we will do everything in our power to make the procedure as painless as possible if it is needed.
If you are wondering if you may need a root canal treatment, then we urge you to call any of our dentists if you live in or near Lexington. If you live in Danville, Richmond, or anywhere else in Central Kentucky, we probably have an office within driving distance of where you are.
What Are The Symptoms Of Infected Teeth?
You should visit a dentist as soon as possible if you suspect that you may have an infected tooth. This can make your treatment easier to handle, and it may prevent you from feeling more pain than you should.
Pain is a symptom that you should not ignore. If a tooth hurts, that is a reason to seek help as soon as possible.
The pain could be increased sensitivity to temperatures (such as hot coffee or ice cream) or sweets. You also may have a lingering pain in your mouth or face. This could get worse at certain times, but you need to be aware that it probably won’t go away on its own.
Before the pain starts, it’s a good idea to look for other problems such as discolored spots, which could indicate tooth decay, or bleeding, sore, or swollen gums, which may indicate gum disease. You may notice what looks like a pimple developing on your gums as well.
By treating those problems early, you may be able to avoid the pain of an infected tooth entirely.
If you let a cavity or periodontal disease remain untreated, then you are more likely to develop an infected tooth. This happens when bacteria eats into the innermost parts of your tooth, namely the pulp chamber or the root canals.
Pulp is a soft connective tissue in the center of your tooth. It feels that interior spaces along with nerves and blood vessels. When the pulp is infected, it can become inflamed, which can cause the pain of a toothache.
Ice can help reduce swelling, but you should realize this is a temporary solution.
By this point, we hope you would call a dentist to remove the infection from your mouth.
Anesthetic And Sedation
Your comfort will be our first priority if you come to our office for a root canal treatment.
If you suffer from dental anxiety or you are just worried that that root canal will be painful, then we can offer two kinds of dental sedation to help.
With oral conscious sedation, you will take medication before the treatment begins. We will make sure you are feeling the effects of the medicine before we do anything. The medicine will prevent you from feeling any pain and keep you relaxed throughout the procedure.
With nitrous oxide, you will inhale laughing gas through the duration of the procedure. Like the oral conscious sedation, the gas will prevent you from feeling pain.
For patients who want to forego sedation dentistry, we will administer a local anesthetic before we begin your treatment. This will numb the tooth and the surrounding soft tissue.
Big Filling
At that point in the process, the root canal procedure is almost like an oversized filling.
Before we give you a filling, we would first need to remove the tooth decay from your tooth. With a root canal, we have to get to the inside of your tooth so we can remove the infected pulp as well as the nerves and blood vessels for that tooth.
The next step is to clean and disinfect your tooth. Once we are satisfied that the inside of your tooth is sanitary, we add a substance called gutta-percha.
This is a rubbery material made from the resin of certain trees. By using it to fill the empty space at the center of your tooth, this helps your tooth retains its shape. It also reduces the risk of another infection.
The last step is sealing the tooth. We will use a dental filling or a dental crown depending on how much of your tooth was damaged.
No Pain Is Your Gain
“No pain, no gain” may be a good motto for weightlifters, but it’s the opposite of what we want for our patients at Beaumont Family Dentistry.
To get relief from your toothache, make an appointment at one of our Lexington dentist offices as soon as you can. You can schedule your visit by using our online contact form or by calling the office that is most convenient for you.