Root Canal Therapy
The root canal has an unfortunate and untrue reputation. It is actually not a painful undertaking, as rumors suggest, but a pain-relieving and tooth-saving treatment. A root canal means you have a root infection or tooth trauma that requires root canal therapy.
At Anderson Family Dental in Winter Park, FL, Drs. Bryant and Kathleen Anderson offer gentle root canal treatment to reduce your pain and restore your oral health
How Do I Know I Need a Root Canal?
Signs Include:
✓ Tooth sensitivity or tooth pain
✓ Gum Swelling
✓ Blister on the Gum
✓ Swelling of the face or jaw
If you notice any of these oral health changes, it is essential to contact our Winter Park dental office. A root infection can go from mildly uncomfortable to excruciatingly painful within hours. And we do not want you to suffer a toothache.
Occasionally, you experience no pain with a root infection, which means the nerve is damaged or your infection is only beginning. The dentist finds the root infection during a routine exam, which is one of the reasons preventive dentistry is so important.
How is a Root Infection Diagnosed & Treated
WE CAN SEE PAST THE SURFACE WITH 3D IMAGING
At Anderson Family Dental in Winter Park, we rely on CBCT imaging to help diagnose and plan your root canal treatment. This is a modern digital technology that allows for safer radiographs compared with traditional X-rays.
WE OFFER A MORE GENTLE APPROACH THAN PAST ROOT CANALS
If the dentist diagnoses a root infection, he gently numbs the area and removes the infected tissue with rotary or reciprocating endodontic instruments. The technology allows for a faster, less jarring, and more precise treatment. If you have had root canal therapy in the past without this technology, we would love to introduce you to the rotary endodontics difference.
FINISH WITH FILLINGS AND CROWN
After your dentist removes the pain-causing tissues, we close with a temporary filling. After healing, you will come in for a permanent filling or a dental crown to better support the tooth.
How to Prevent Root Infections & Tooth Trauma
The best way to prevent oral health conditions, including root infections, is through preventive dentistry. Routine dental exams here at your Winter Park dentist and teeth cleanings play a crucial role in your long-term oral health. Additionally, it’s important to brush and floss at least twice per day.
Root Canal Retreatment
WHEN TO RETREAT A TOOTH
In rare cases, root canal therapy fails to work as expected. The treated tooth might not heal properly or a patient might experience post-surgical complications that jeopardize the tooth.
Root canal retreatment involves the removal of the previous crown and packing material, the cleansing of the root canals, and the re-packing and re-crowning of the tooth. In short, root canal retreatment is almost identical to the original procedure, aside from the removal of the previous crown.
A BETTER OPTION THAN EXTRACTION
Root canal treatments and retreatments are a better alternative than extraction for most individuals. If a tooth has a good bone support, a solid surface and healthy gums beneath it, it stands a good chance of being saved.
Apicoectomy
An apicoectomy is a routine dental procedure. Like a root canal, it is also a procedure that removes part of your root to clear inflammation, in order to save your natural tooth. It’s often called a root-end resection because it works on the end (or, tip) of your root called the apex.
WHY DO YOU NEED AN APICOECTOMY?
Your dentist will do a root end surgery for a few reasons. The most common is to try to fix a tooth that’s already had a root canal.
Other reasons for the surgery can include:
▶ Remove calcium deposits in the root canal
▶ Find and treat problems that aren't showing up on X-ray
▶ Treat a tooth with extra roots that can't be treated another way
▶ Treat bone loss that causes loose teeth
▶ Remove a root that has a hole
Apicoectomies are also commonly used for tooth injuries in children. If the tooth is fractured or cracked after an impact, this procedure can help save the tooth.
Internal Bleaching
Internal tooth bleaching is essentially a teeth whitening technique that works from the inside out. With traditional tooth whitening, you wear trays or get whitening treatments that target the exterior of the teeth. If you have healthy teeth, those methods can result in a whiter smile.
Internal teeth whitening is a minor surgical procedure that addresses the yellowing and darkening from the inside. We recommend this option when traditional whitening is ineffective. Often, patients who have received a root canal need internal teeth whitening.
DOES INTERNAL BLEACHING WORK ON A DEAD TOOTH?
Internal teeth bleaching does in fact work on dead teeth. This procedure is ideal for teeth that have died because of trauma, direct impact, grinding, infection or other causes. Because dead teeth receive no blood flow, the red blood cells die. Just as bruises form beneath your skin, the inside of a dead tooth can become discolored.
INTERNAL TOOTH BLEACHING PROCEDURE
First, a dental x-ray will be taken to determine the extent of discoloration and also the cause of the stains. If a diseased or damaged pulp is to blame, a root canal will be performed to remove the damaged area and a whitening paste will be applied during the procedure to remove stains.
If the tooth has already had a root canal, the stains can be removed by making a small hole in the back of the tooth to gain access to the stain and remove it. The hole will be carefully filled after treatment.
GETTING THE CORRECT SHADE
After the dentist applies the whitening agent to the inside of your teeth, we’ll monitor your status and remove the paste when your tooth has reached the desired shade. Sometimes, this process can take a few days. Once finished, we seal your tooth to prolong your results.
When an Infected Tooth Becomes a Dental Emergency
Ignoring the symptoms of tooth pain or letting time pass after chipping your tooth allows for bacteria and infection to grow and it may become a dental emergency if left untreated, causing extreme pain and fever.
Dr. Bryant and Dr. Kathleen Anderson make themselves available for such dental emergencies even when our office is closed. Please let us help.