Your Go-To California Dental Practice for Root Canal Therapy

At the center of your tooth is what dentists call the pulp. The pulp is a collection of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues that help build the surrounding tooth. Deep cavities, broken teeth, repeated dental procedures, and trauma to the tooth can cause damage and infection to the pulp — a condition only root canal therapy can resolve. Here at Cunning Dental Group, we regularly perform root canal endodontic treatment to save our patients’ teeth.

The consequences of neglecting a root canal infection include:

• Developing a pus-filled pocket at the root (abscessed tooth)
• Swelling that may spread to the neck, head, or face
• Bone loss around the tip of the root
• Bad breath as a result of deep decay
• Drainage problems extending from the root to the gums or cheek

Never ignore the following signs of a root canal infection:

• Severe pain when eating or applying pressure to teeth
• Sensitivity to hot or cold that stays after removing the stimuli
• Irregular sensitivity to sweets
• Darkening of a tooth
• Swelling and tenderness in nearby gums
• A persistent pimple-like bump on the gum area

Sometimes, no root canal symptoms are present. We invite you to schedule regular check-ups to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy.

Our process of relieving root canal pain involves these essential steps:

• Determining the extent of infection via x-ray
• Applying local anesthetic to numb the area
• Creating a small opening in the tooth to access the infection
• Removing the damaged pulp tissue (and nerve, if necessary)
• Sealing the tooth with a filling or other restoration method

Repairing the natural tooth with endodontic treatment has many advantages:

• Maintains your natural smile
• Eliminates pain when chewing
• Restores bite force
• Limits the need for ongoing dental work
• Prevents excessive wear or strain of other teeth

Root canal treatment in Montclair, CA and its neighboring cities have high success rates. Approximately 90 to 95 percent of patients who undergo root canal therapy can expect a functional tooth after the procedure. The treated tooth should last for years or even a lifetime, provided that you maintain good oral hygiene and schedule routine visits at Cunning Dental Group. Our standard of excellence in dental care enables us to prevent the recurrence of infection.

Dental anxiety associated with root canals is common, but there are ways to help you manage it:

• Focus on your breathing. Steady breathing can reduce your heart rate and eliminate feelings of panic.
• Distract yourself with music. Music can soothe your aggravated nerves and help drown out the noises of a root canal procedure. Bring your headphones and music.
• Avoid caffeinated beverages. Caffeine stimulates your “fight or flight” response, and studies show that this can trigger an anxiety attack.
• Ask your dentist about IV sedation. If you have dental phobia or severe dental anxiety, we may perform sleep dentistry to help calm you.
• Gain knowledge. Learning more about root canal therapy and its teeth-saving benefits can help ease some of your worries.