Family Dental Wellness Center
Cosmetic & Family Dentist located in Elkridge, MD
If you experience significant tooth pain, you may require a root canal, a relatively common procedure that preserves the structure of your affected tooth. At Family Dental Wellness Center in Elkridge, Maryland, Samia Azhar, DDS, offers safe, gentle, and effective root canal treatments. To find out if a root canal is right for your tooth pain, book an appointment with Dr. Azhar and her team by phone or online today.
Root Canal Q & A
What is a tooth abscess?
A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus that develops near the root of your tooth. Abscesses are the result of bacterial infections caused by untreated cavities, injuries, and previous dental work. Tooth abscesses occur when bacteria enter your tooth through a deep cavity, crack, or chip in your tooth and spreads to the root and pulp of your tooth, causing infection, swelling, and inflammation. The symptoms of a tooth abscess include:
- Cold or hot sensitivity
- Sensitivity when chewing or biting
- Fever
- Swollen or tender gums
- Facial swelling
- Difficulty swallowing
- Severe or persistent toothache
The pain caused by a tooth abscess can also radiate to the jawbone, neck, or ear. If you suffer from symptoms of a tooth abscess, it’s important to speak with an experienced dentist as soon as possible. Without treatment, a tooth abscess won’t just go away. The infection continues to spread to your jaw, head, and neck. Dr. Azhar uses root canals to treat the infection inside your tooth and preserve your smile.
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a procedure designed to remove bacteria from the root of your tooth. Dr. Azhar performs root canals to treat infections and abscesses that have reached the root and pulp of your tooth.
Root canals prevent further damage to your tooth, reinfection, and help you avoid tooth and bone loss. During the procedure, Dr. Azhar clears away the infected parts of your tooth and seals it off.
Although many people are apprehensive about root canal treatment, modern root canal procedures are very similar to fillings and help to alleviate tooth pain, not cause it.
What should I expect from the procedure?
Root canal treatment is quick, comfortable, and helps you maintain the structure and appearance of your smile. To prepare for the procedure, Dr. Azhar applies a local anesthetic to minimize any pain or discomfort. She then removes any tooth decay and makes a small opening through the crown of your tooth. Using small dental instruments, Dr. Azahar enters through the small opening and removes the infected pulp. She then flushes out the area to ensure it’s clean and disinfected. Finally, Dr. Azhar applies a filling material, and the small access hole is sealed.
After the procedure, you’ll typically have a crown placed over the treated tooth to improve its strength and appearance.
If you suffer from symptoms of an infected tooth, book an appointment with Family Dental Wellness Center by phone or online today.