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Restore Infected Teeth
Root Canal Therapy
If you have a serious toothache in Philadelphia and you’ve been experiencing severe pain for more than a day or two, you may have an infected tooth. Without proper intervention, such as root canal therapy, your condition will only become more painful. Contact us now to get the emergency help you need to care for tooth infections in Philadelphia.
Why Would I
Need A Root Canal?
Root canal therapy is a restorative dental treatment intended to repair and preserve infected teeth. Tooth infections typically occur as the result of an untreated cavity or a dental injury that breaks or fractures a tooth. When the hard, outer layers of a tooth are damaged, the vulnerable “pulp” inside your tooth becomes exposed to oral bacteria.
This pulp is full of nerves and blood vessels, which are what keeps your tooth alive. As your inner tooth becomes infected, this will cause serious pain and discomfort. Eventually, the tooth will die from the inside out if you don’t get proper treatment.
Root canal therapy is used to prevent further damage to your tooth. During treatment, the tooth is opened up, cleaned, disinfected and filled, removing the source of the infection. In turn, this saves your tooth and prevents additional discomfort and complications.
Being Prepared
The Root Canal Process
The root canal process is actually quite similar to having a tooth filled. It takes a single 1-2 hour appointment at Mestichelli Barnes Dental Associates. To begin, your teeth will be cleaned and the treatment area will be numbed by our South Philly dentists. Then, the tooth will be isolated with a dental dam to prevent oral bacteria from spreading.
Next, Dr. Barnes or Dr. Mestichelli will use specialized dental tools to remove decayed enamel from the tooth and create a small opening into the interior of the tooth. Once this process is complete, Dr. Barnes or Dr. Mestichelli will flush the tooth with disinfectant, and fill it with an inert, rubber-like material that helps support the tooth structure. Finally, your tooth will be restored with a dental filling or a temporary crown.
Post-Procedure Guidelines
After Care For A Root Canal
You may experience some minor tenderness for a day or two after your root canal treatment, but you won’t feel any significant pain or discomfort, and you can get back to your day-to-day life right away.
However, if your root canal requires a permanent crown, you will usually be sent home with a temporary crown to protect your tooth as it heals. You may need to take some steps to ensure you don’t dislodge or damage this crown, such as avoiding eating extremely hard or sticky foods. Dr. Barnes and Dr. Mestichelli will give you more detailed instructions after your treatment.
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