Root Canal Therapy In Redmond
Signs That You Need A Root Canal
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Serious and painful toothache that lasts 1-3 days or longer
Sensitivity to the pressure of chewing, as well as hot or cold foods
Swelling and inflammation of the gum tissue around the affected tooth
Visible darkening or discoloration of the tooth
Save And Restore Your Tooth With A Root Canal
Root canal therapy in Redmond is the best way to save your tooth if it has become infected. At Redmond Art of Dentistry, Dr. Daniel Bickel specializes in endodontic treatment and can provide you with the best possible results. Immediate treatment for your infected tooth is essential to prevent further complications, and to eliminate your pain and discomfort. Contact us now to schedule an appointment, and get the help you need right away.
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What Is A Root Canal? The Basics
A root canal is a treatment that’s used to restore an infected tooth. Teeth become infected when the exterior layers of the tooth are seriously damaged by extensive tooth decay or dental trauma. This exposes the “pulp” inside your tooth, which is full of nerves and blood vessels, and keeps your tooth alive.
If left untreated, an infected tooth will eventually die and require extraction from your mouth. Root canal therapy is used to avoid this. Dr. Bickel in Redmond will open up the tooth, remove the infected material, eliminate the infection, and restore your tooth. This preserves your bite and your smile, and ensures you get relief from the pain of an infected tooth.
Understanding The Root Canal Process
The root canal process is quite simple and straightforward to understand. To begin, Dr. Bickel will clean and numb your mouth. Once your mouth is numb, he will begin removing any damaged or decayed tooth material from your mouth with a dental drill. Then, he will create a small opening in the tooth, and use a variety of dental tools to extract decayed, infected pulp and tissue from inside the tooth.
After the inside of the tooth has been cleaned, it will be flushed with disinfectant to sanitize it and eliminate any remaining bacteria. Then, the pulp that was removed will be replaced with an inert material to strengthen the tooth. Finally, Dr. Bickel will restore and seal the tooth with a filling or a dental crown, completing the procedure.
Do Root Canals Hurt? What You Need To Know
Despite what you may have learned from popular culture, root canals are not a painful procedure. In fact, the process of having a root canal is only a little bit more invasive than having a filling placed. Your mouth will be completely numb throughout the procedure, and you won’t feel a thing while in our Redmond dental office.
While your tooth may feel a bit sore and tender for a few days afterward, there is no other pain or discomfort commonly associated with root canal therapy. In the extremely rare event that you experience severe pain after your root canal, this is a sign that your tooth may need further treatment from Dr. Bickel.
What's the Healing Process After A Root Canal?
After a root canal procedure, your mouth will still be numb for a few hours from the local anesthetic. Do not eat or consume hot liquids until the anesthetic has worn off completely so you don’t accidentally injure yourself.
Once your mouth is no longer numb, you should stick to soft foods for the first few days. You may experience some tooth sensitivity so you may want to avoid very hot, spicy, or acidic foods. You may experience some tenderness or discomfort in the first few days, but taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain reliever can help provide relief.
It’s important to keep your mouth clean after a root canal procedure at our Redmond office to reduce your risk of reinfection. Brush and floss like normal but be extra careful around the site of the root canal. You should be extra gentle around this tooth and avoid chewing with it. Try to chew on the other side of your mouth.
Can I Smoke After A Root Canal?
You should not smoke while you are recovering from a root canal procedure. While smoking has many harmful effects on your health in general, you are particularly vulnerable after a root canal and smoking can negatively impact the healing process.
Smokers are almost twice as likely to need a root canal so by smoking, you increase your chance of reinfection and the need for another root canal. Smoking decreases blood flow by constricting blood vessels and prolongs your healing process. Try to find alternatives to smoking such as exercising, chewing gum, or even finding a hobby.
Cigarettes contain toxic chemicals that can increase your risk of developing lung cancer and your risk of developing gum disease, which can ultimately lead to tooth loss. Smoking is a net negative for your oral health so ideally, you shouldn’t smoke at all. However, you should especially abstain from it during your root canal recovery.
How Safe Is A Root Canal?
Root canal therapy is a very safe and effective procedure that can save your tooth from extraction. By removing the infected dental pulp from the tooth, we can restore the health of your tooth without removing it and causing bone loss.
Root canals are 95% effective at restoring the health of your tooth and completely removing infection and bacteria. Preserving the health of your natural teeth is better than replacing your teeth.
The only alternative to a root canal is typically an extraction that will require you to replace the tooth to avoid shifting teeth, changes in your facial structure such as sagging, and difficulty chewing and speaking.
During a root canal at our Redmond dental office, we remove the source of the infection and fill the tooth with a rubber-like gutta-percha material to rebuild the structure of the tooth. We then usually protect the vulnerable tooth with a dental crown for better strength and durability.
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