Restore Your Oral Health and Find Relief from Pain with Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy, or endodontic treatment, refers to the removal of infected pulp contained within the root of a tooth. By removing this soft tissue, your dentist can effectively save your natural tooth’s structure, and prevent infection from spreading and damaging surrounding tissues. Our Philadelphia dentists, Dr. Maurry Leas and Dr. Jonathan Siegel, are able to perform root canal therapy in a just a single visit, and use advanced techniques to lessen discomfort and enhance healing. To learn more about whether you need root canal therapy, contact our Philadelphia dentist office today and schedule an appointment.
The Root Canal Procedure
Pulp, which contains nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues, lies in the root of each tooth. To access the pulp, your dentist will first numb your tooth and surrounding gums using local anesthesia. Next, he will drill a small hole through the enamel and dentin, or hard layers of your tooth, creating an access hole into the root canal.
After removing the infected pulp, your Philadelphia dentist will thoroughly clean the inside of the tooth to ensure that it is free from bacteria and decay. Once the root canal has been cleaned, your tooth will be filled with a rubbery material and sealed shut. This filling process ensures bacteria will not enter the inside of the tooth and create infection in the future. Your tooth will be substantially weakened after its pulp has been removed, so you will most likely need to have a dental crown placed to protect it.
Although traditional root canal treatment in Philadelphia typically takes between two or three separate visits to complete, in many cases, our dentists perform your entire procedure in just one visit.
Determining Your Candidacy
Root canals are most commonly performed when a cavity is left untreated, spreading bacteria and eventually infection to the pulp. Additionally, trauma can cause a tooth to become inflamed and infected, or an ill-fitting restoration, like a dental crown, may allow bacteria to enter the root canal.
When your tooth becomes infected, you may notice symptoms like pain, swelling, sensitivity, and more. It is important to seek dental care as quickly as possible if you are experiencing any of these signs since infection can travel outside the root canal, eventually leading to gum erosion and even bone loss.
Root Canal Therapy Philadelphia
Left untreated, infection can have disastrous results for your oral health. Root canal therapy can help our patients achieve:
- Relief from pain and discomfort caused by inflammation and swelling
- Relief from sensitivity when you bite down and ingest certain foods
- Preservation of your natural tooth
- Removal of infection that could have spread to destroy other tissues
At Dentistry at 1818 Market St., your treatment will be performed thoroughly and swiftly, allowing you to you return to your normal activities as soon as possible with minimal discomfort.
Contact Us to Schedule an Appointment
If you are in pain, contact our office immediately. We can fit you in quickly for an examination to determine the cause of your symptoms, and provide you with root canal therapy or another restorative treatment to restore health to your smile.
