Do you have a toothache that started out small, but worsened to the point that it’s now an intense, white-hot pain that makes it difficult to focus on anything else? If so, it’s very likely that you have an infection in the very center of the tooth, called the pulp. This is where the tooth’s nerves are located, so it’s no wonder it causes a monster of a toothache! Fortunately, there is a way to relieve your pain without removing the tooth – root canal therapy. You may have heard scary things about root canals, but they’re actually designed to eliminate your toothache at the source. Plus, thanks to our dentist's expertise, getting a root canal in North Kingstown shouldn’t hurt at all! To get the toothache relief you need, contact Aesthetic Dentistry of Wickford today!
In most cases, we only recommend root canal therapy when a tooth is too damaged or decayed to be repaired by other treatments, such as fillings or dental crowns. The most common sign that you need a root canal is searing pain in a specific tooth, but other symptoms to watch out for include:
If you detect any of these symptoms, we urge you to call us right away. We always keep some time in our schedule for patients with dental emergencies, so we’ll do everything in our power to get you out of pain as soon as we can.
Once you arrive for your root canal, your dentist in North Kingstown will make sure you feel comfortable and relaxed. We may even offer nitrous oxide sedation if you feel particularly anxious. Then, we’ll start by administering a local anesthetic. Your mouth should be completely numb, preventing discomfort during the procedure.
We’ll create a small hole in your enamel that lets us access the pulp in the tooth’s center. Next, we’ll carefully remove the damaged or infected tissue while leaving the healthy sections intact. After sanitizing the inside of the tooth, we’ll fill it up with a biocompatible material to maintain its structure. Lastly, we’ll place a custom dental crown on top of the tooth to restore its natural appearance and chewing function.
Despite the rumors surrounding it, root canal therapy is a safe and effective way to treat severely infected or damaged teeth. Some of the benefits of root canal therapy include: