Steps you go through to receive a root canal
When we have a new Largo, FL patient walk in our door with an immediate problem, it’s usually due to tooth pain. Once pain in a tooth has persisted for a few days and the patient is feeling feverish with the infection, it’s not uncommon to have to have a discussion about a root canal procedure.
A tooth is designed to withstand a lifetime of use, and with proper dental hygiene you have a good shot at having all your teeth long into the retirement years. Because of the pounding a tooth is designed to take in the surface, the soft root and nerves are protected in the gum line, away from the crunching. The bottom of the tooth has an opening for the nerve to help supply nourishment to the tooth to keep it healthy. But, that also means that when an infection gets into that tooth, there’s no other way for the body to attack and get rid of the infection. Our office serving Largo, FL sees many of these situations each week.
In most cases, the infected tooth drives a patient to a dentist. But, in some cases, the nerve dies, limiting the “pain” signals. When that nerve dies, it leaves an empty space behind in the tooth that is a sitting duck for infection with no blood supply to defend it. Sometimes, the secondary infection takes weeks to appear, sometimes years.
Treating the infection is the first step in the process toward a root canal procedure. Usually a patient is given antibiotics and pain killers for a few days to help address some of the infection and pain.
Te dentist will take x-rays of the infected tooth to get a good view of what’s left of the tooth and the root structure.
The actual root canal procedure typically begins by opening the tooth at the top and drilling down to the root of the tooth. The dentist clears out the inside of the tooth of dead nerve tissue, bacteria and other debris. The tooth is then filled with a rubber compound called gutta percha.
The final step is to place a filling on the tooth to seal it.
Depending on the condition of the tooth, the dentist may recommend other dental procedures, such as a crown, to help reinforce what’s left of the tooth.
Our friendly dedicated staff greets you by name and with a warm smile. Dr. Maher Rashid, Dr. Murad Rashid, and our entire team of experienced dental professionals are committed to treating you with respect, personal attention and a higher level of care that comes from decades of combined dental experience. At Dolphin Dental Group, we take the time to listen because there is simply no better way to ensure you get the gentle care and beautiful smile you deserve. We take care to make our dentistry practice the best it can be. We serve the Seminole, St. Petersburg, and Largo, Florida areas.
We would like to be your Largo dentist office. Please Contact Us to let us show you how much we care about our patients.
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