Dr. Todd and the team at Elite Endodontics in Pensacola, FL, know that their patients have a lot of questions, especially when it comes to treatments. Below are common root canal questions that every patient should know about the treatment.
Will It Hurt?
It is true that root canals live in infamy for being one of the most painful dental procedures. The good news is that advances have been made to ensure the procedure is far less painful than it used to be and our dental office in Pensacola, FL offers this service. With the inclusion of GentleWave into our practice, we can perform this procedure with almost no pain and as little downtime as possible. Any other discomfort can be relieved with a local anesthetic or with sedation dentistry.
Is It Safe?
Root canals are an extremely safe procedure when performed by experienced and licensed endodontic professionals.
Dr. Todd is an experienced endodontist who specializes in root canals and other procedures that help restore an infected tooth. By using a local anesthetic and the latest dental technology, Dr. Todd can perform safe and effective root canals that will protect your tooth and eliminate the infection.
What Happens During a Root Canal Procedure?
A toothache or extreme sensitivity is often the result of severe tooth decay or infection in the center of the tooth. The tooth’s center, known as its pulp, contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues.
When unwanted bacteria make their way to the pulp, they can cause severe pain, swelling, and discomfort. During a root canal, Dr. Todd removes any decayed or damaged parts of the tooth and then gently cleans it to ensure that it is entirely free of bacteria.
After disinfecting the tooth, Dr. Todd will place a TEMPORARY filling material to ensure you time to get reappointed with your general dentist who will then place the PERMANENT restoration. It is very important to follow through with a permanent restoration to ensure the longevity of your tooth
What Are the Benefits of a Root Canal?
When it comes to root canals, most patients want to know about the procedure’s benefits. You can expect some of the following:
- Keep your tooth – Since a root canal only removes the decayed parts of a tooth rather than the whole thing, patients can keep their natural teeth and eliminate bacteria without needing an extraction.
- Preserve your oral health – The most significant benefit of a root canal is that it protects your teeth from further damage or decay. Oral infections can quickly spread to the surrounding gum tissues and teeth, causing more severe damage and discomfort. A root canal prevents a bacterial infection from spreading by removing the source and improving the durability of the affected tooth.
- Quick Recovery – Dr. Todd uses the highest quality materials and dental tools available to ensure that every endodontic treatment effectively restores the tooth with long-lasting results. The GentleWave will provide the most pleasant root canal available today.
Why See An Endodontist?
Are There Alternative Treatment Options?
The only effective alternative treatment is tooth extraction. Patients who need a root canal usually have a severe level of infection that requires more than a professional cleaning or dental filling. Since a root canal prevents further damage by removing the infected part of a tooth, the only other option is to remove the tooth completely.
Patients who receive a tooth extraction will also need to consider tooth replacement options such as dental implants and bridges.
Contact Dr. Todd and our team at Elite Endodontics to learn more about your treatment options and which procedure would be best for you.
How Are Elite Endodontics’s Root Canals Different?
At Elite Endodontics, Dr. Todd is on a mission to change the perception of root canals. When a root canal is required, Dr. Todd wants the patient to feel comfortable, calm, and ready to undergo treatment instead of feeling nervous about the amount of pain they will feel. Dr. Todd understands the importance of addressing oral health concerns quickly and providing effective treatments that will restore your smile and bite.
Elite Endodontics is the only Pensacola dental practice offering The GentleWave procedure, a new technology that uses fluids and energy to clean the deepest recesses of the root canal system to eliminate more infected materials and reduce the risk of further infection.
At Elite Endodontics, we also offer sedation dentistry for patients who experience anxiety when visiting their endodontist. Dr. Todd strives to create a comfortable and enjoyable environment for his patients during every procedure.
Contact Dr. Todd and his team at Elite Endodontics to learn more about our root canal service in Pensacola and how they can help restore your smile.
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Root Canal Safety
