Sometimes even with dedicated care, complications with our teeth can occur. In situations where the inner tooth is infected, our dentists can perform root canal treatment to remove the infection and keep your teeth healthy. At Buckhead Dental Group, we can provide root canal therapy to protect your teeth from further infection and decay by working to preserve the tooth’s structure so your teeth can last a lifetime.
What Are Root Canal Treatments?
Our teeth are composed of multiple layers, with each layer serving an important function for our oral health. The enamel, known as the outermost layer of our teeth, is the hardest material in our bodies and works to protect the inner parts of the tooth from decay and infection. Underneath the enamel layer is the dentin, the softer, porous layer that cushions and contains the nerves and blood vessels. The inner last layer, called the pulp, is the soft tissue inside our teeth that contain all the nerves and blood vessels that allow our teeth to maintain sensation.
Root canal treatments are used in cases where the inner pulp becomes infected or irreversibly inflamed. When the pulp becomes infected, it is important to remove the infection entirely. Root canal treatments can also be used when a cavity filling is too deep, there is exposed pulp trauma from injury and decay and other restoration complications. When infection sets in, the tooth nerve canal needs to be cleaned out and filled to protect the tooth from further infection.
How We Perform Root Canal Treatment
Our initial focus for providing root canal treatments is to provide extensive pain relief from infection and save the tooth in the process. Root canal treatments can be completed within one or two visits to our office. Below is how we perform a root canal procedure:
- Local Anesthesia: Treatment is begun by numbing the area with a local anesthetic to prevent discomfort and pain. The tooth is then surrounded by a dental dam to keep out moisture debris, and bacteria from the mouth.
- Opening the Inner Tooth: Once the area is fully prepped, the interior of the tooth is opened up and thoroughly cleansed using irrigation systems to remove signs of infection within the roots.
- Extracting the Pulp: The pulp is then removed, and further irrigation is used to clean out the nerve canal and prep it for filling and restorative treatment.
- Filling: Once the tooth is cleansed and prepped, our dentists will use gutta-percha, a material somewhat like rubber, to fill and seal the inner tooth and protect it from further decay.
- Temporary Filling/Cap: The tooth is sealed with a temporary filling or cover to ensure that the infection doesn’t return. After a few weeks, the temporary seal cover is replaced with a permanent filling or crown on a follow-up appointment.
Root canal treatments are considered some of the best pain-relieving methods available for infected teeth. They ae also critically important treatment to preserve natural teeth. Want to know more? Call and schedule an appointment at Buckhead Dental Group.
