Root Canal Specialists
West Broadway Dental
Dental Clinic located in Paterson, NJ
More than 15 million root canal treatments are performed every year. For many men and women, a root canal brings welcome relief from a painful infection in the affected tooth. At West Broadway Dental, root canals are among the most common dental procedures performed. If you live in or around Paterson, New Jersey, and suffer from tooth pain, schedule an appointment right away to determine if a root canal can save your natural tooth. Online scheduling makes it easy to find a convenient time to visit our dental office.
Root Canal Q & A
When is a root canal necessary?
The interior portion of your teeth is a chamber filled with pulp, which contains the nerve tissue that transmits sensory data to your brain. When something hot or cold touches your tooth, it’s the pulp that identifies the sensation.
If your nerve or pulp becomes damaged, bacteria multiply in the inner chamber. Infection can occur and can lead to significant pain, swelling, and even bone loss if left untreated.
A root canal procedure can save an infected tooth, and stop the damage from worsening. It can also eliminate the pain caused by the infection.
What causes the tooth damage that leads to a root canal?
There are several ways that a tooth can sustain damage that leads to a root canal. The more common causes include:
- Advanced decay
- Large fillings
- Multiple dental procedures on the same tooth
- Cracks or chips
- Trauma to the face
If you have pain, sensitivity to hot or cold, swelling, or tooth discoloration, you may have an active pulp infection that requires a root canal.
How is a root canal performed?
Once the dentist has determined through a thorough dental exam and imaging that the affected tooth contains infected pulp, the first step in the root canal procedure begins with numbing the tooth and isolating it from surrounding teeth with a dental dam. This small sheet of rubber keeps the affected tooth clean and dry during the rest of the procedure.
The in-house endodontist then creates a small opening near the top of the tooth and uses a very fine drill and tiny files to clean out the infected pulp and to properly shape the interior space to receive a rubber-like filling material known as gutta-percha.
Your dentist takes a mold of your tooth to serve as the model for the custom-made crown and places a temporary crown on the tooth to protect it. You’ll come back in several weeks for the installation of the permanent crown.
If you are suffering from ongoing tooth sensitivity or pain, you may need a root canal. Schedule a comprehensive dental exam at West Broadway Dental in Paterson, New Jersey, as soon as possible. If a root canal is your next procedure, the in-house endodontist will take charge and relieve you of the problem and the pain.