Root Canal Treatment in Prairieville, LA

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Root Canal Treatment

Many people hear the words ‘root canal’ and automatically become fearful.  However, there are some common misconceptions about this treatment, which overshadow the many benefits of treatment.  Root canal treatment is a procedure that can be done painlessly, saves the tooth, and allows relief from pain. 

What is Root Canal Treatment?

The innermost layer of the tooth is the pulp, or the soft tissue containing the nerve and blood vessels which supply the tooth. When there is deep decay, repeated traumatic injury, or a crack in the tooth, the pulp becomes irreversibly damaged. Bacteria and toxins make their way down the root, creating an infection. 

At this point, the only remedy for treating the tooth is with root canal treatment. If no treatment is done, the infection spreads, producing a painful abscess. The abscess is often combined with swelling. Swelling can cause serious complications and become life-threatening.  In addition, the longer the tooth is left untreated, the more damage that is caused to the tooth. Prolonging treatment can weaken the tooth to the point that there is not enough structure left to save. In this case, an extraction would be necessary. An extraction creates a domino effect, resulting in drifting of the surrounding teeth into the space and creating chewing issues.  

Root Canal Treatment Process

The process of root canal treatment begins with anesthetizing the patient with local anesthesia. A numbing gel is placed first to prepare the area to be treated before providing local anesthesia. Relief is usually instant. Dr. Oza and the staff at Prestige Dentistry aim to make sure the patient is comfortable, always checking in throughout the procedure to ensure the patient is relaxed. 

Once anesthesia is achieved, a small hole is made from the top of the tooth to gain access to the nerve. All decay is also removed at this time. Small instruments are used to eliminate the infected nerve tissue, bacteria, and toxins. The root canal space is then shaped and disinfected. 

Next, the space is filled with a sterile material and the canal is sealed. This helps prevent new bacteria from reentering the root canal space. A temporary or permanent restoration is placed where the decay is removed on the top of the tooth, and where any decay had been removed.

Finally, it should be noted that the tooth typically requires a crown, or cap as the last step. The crown reestablishes structure and provides extra strength where decay had weakened the tooth.

Contact Us for An Appointment

At Prestige Dentistry, we understand that root canal treatment can seem intimidating. Rest assured that Dr. and her staff make sure to keep you comfortable from start to finish. Similar to other procedures done at our office in Prairieville, once your tooth is numbed, you should not feel anything. If you have a tooth that you think needs a root canal treatment, give our office a call today. We are here to get you out of pain and on with enjoying life.