With today's techniques, having root canals is not scary. Dr. Smith uses rotary equipment to treat patients along with a sonar-like instrument that finds the exact end of the tooth root. High torque handpieces are used with titanium files to mechanically and rapidly open a canal. This can significantly decrease treatment time. Extensive decay, an accident, fracture, or gum disease can cause a tooth infection and kill a tooth. However, a tooth can be saved with endodontics. The inside of a tooth is like the inside of a tootsie pop. Inside every tooth crown is a hollow area that extends into each of the roots. The hollow area in the root is called a canal. Each one is cleaned out, widened, and filled during therapy. It is fortunate for us that once a tooth forms the contents inside are not necessary.

          At first the dentist deeply numbs the tooth and creates an entry hole through the top of the crown. The content of the hollow areas are removed using specially designed files which also widen and flare the root canals. Finally, the tooth is filled with a rubber material called gutta percha. Root canal therapy can be unpredictable. There are times even after appropriate initial treatment that a tooth doesn't settle down. A stronger dental antibiotic and possibly, anti-inflammatory medications may then be necessary. At the Atlanta Dental Group PC we prefer to enter a tooth after a patient has been on antibiotics for 3 to 7 days, however, this can not always be done. Swelling from an infected tooth can also complicate root canals. Pus around the infected root increases the acid concentration and it may not be able to be numbed well. Again, stronger antibiotics and perhaps, incising and draining the area can help. About 1 in 20 teeth requires root canal retreatment. In these cases, the end of one or more roots remains infected even though the treatment appears adequate.

          A teeth become very brittle after root canals and requires restoration with a core build-up and a crown, otherwise a tooth can split. If the split is bad, a patient can possibly lose the tooth. This is a lot of dental care for one tooth, so it is much better to avoid needing endodontic treatment by visiting the dentist regularly and finding problems before they get big.

          Dental infections can harm the whole body. This makes having needed root canals performed very important. Many patients are unaware that they have a root canal infection because there's not always root canal pain. Regular dental visits can help detect infected teeth and help improve overall health. Years ago the filling materials often irritated the surrounding bone. This problem has been significantly reduced with the development of biocompatible materials that reduce and often eliminate problems. There are a lot of myths and unwise tales about root canal therapy. The truth is, it is usually a comfortable experience and should not be feared. New and effective dental anaesthetics are also now available that help make root canal treatment as comfortable as most dental procedures. If you need a root canal and would like a free dental consultation with Dr. Jeffrey Smith, please call 404-874-7428.