Root canal therapy is no longer a scary experience. Dr. Jeffrey S. Smith has performed thousands of root canals. Extensive decay, an accident, fracture, or gum disease can lead to a tooth infection and kill a tooth. However, your tooth can be saved with endodontic therapy. The inside of a tooth has a hollow area that extends into each of the roots. The hollow area in the root is called a canal. Each root canal is cleaned out, widened, and filled.

          Root canal therapy can be unpredictable and root canal problems can occur. Even after appropriate treatment, a tooth doesn't always 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 the procedure. 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 one in twenty root canals requires additional treatment six months after the root canal has been completed. In these cases the end of one or more roots remains infected even though the root canal treatment appears adequate.

          Root canal failure after root canal therapy can happen, unfortunately, despite a dentist's best efforts. If the root canal failure is due to a cracked root, the bad root can often be surgically removed. With the problem root removed, everything often returns to normal. Most endodontic filling materials today are bio-compatible and non-allergenic. However, older fillings were irritating to the body and could cause unwanted reactions. In this case, re-treatment is the best choice. In some cases, a patient's body will attack the root canal tooth. When this occurs the tooth can be endodontically retreated or removed. However, removal and replacement with a dental bridge or a dental implant can be expensive so our dentists prefer to do their best to save the tooth.

        If you need root canal therapy and would like to schedule a free dental consultation with Atlanta Dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky, please feel free to call 404-874-7428. The Atlanta Dental Group PC dentists are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being and you are welcome to join our family of patients. Dr. Jeffrey Stephen Smith does our root canals. He uses an apex locator to find the exact end of the root of the tooth and digital x-rays.  Dr. Smith also uses high torque handpieces with titanium files to mechanically and rapidly open a canal.