Root Canal Therapy
Save Your Tooth From Extraction
The root canal is the inner chamber of your tooth that contains nerve tissues and blood vessels, also known as pulp. If the pulp of your tooth gets infected, it’s often extremely painful and can lead to tooth loss without fast treatment.
With root canal therapy, Dr. Milsap can relieve your pain and save your infected tooth.
Signs You May Need Root Canal Therapy
Symptoms of an infected root canal include:
- Severe toothache
- Pain while chewing
- Prolonged sensitivity to hot and cold
- Discolored tooth
- Swollen and tender gums around the tooth
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact our office right away.
How The Procedure Works
Your treatment begins with Dr. Milsap administering a local anesthetic to numb the area around your tooth. Next, he’ll create an opening around the tooth so he can remove the infected tissue and fill the empty chamber with a special dental material that will prevent further infection.
Finally, he’ll reseal your tooth and protect it from damage with a durable, natural-looking porcelain crown. By undergoing root canal therapy, you can avoid extracting your tooth and live your life pain-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does root canal therapy hurt?
Contrary to popular belief, root canal therapy is not painful. In fact, avoiding treatment for your infected tooth will lead to far greater pain than anything you’ll experience during the procedure.
Should my tooth hurt a week after the procedure?
You may feel some mild discomfort after your treatment, but this should go away within a week. If you’re still experiencing pain past this point, contact our office right away.
What is root canal retreatment?
In some cases, your tooth fails to heal after root canal therapy or becomes infected again. If this occurs, we’ll thoroughly clean out your tooth and refill it to guard against further infection.
What is a hot tooth?
Hot tooth refers to irreversible pulpitis in your root canal, when swelling in your tissues leads to pressure and throbbing pain. This results from decay wearing down your tooth enamel and leaving your underlying nerves exposed, making your tooth extremely sensitive to hot and cold.
How can you tell if a tooth is dead?
When a tooth is dying, it may appear yellow, brown, gray, or even black. You’ll likely also feel pain in the tooth or your surrounding gum tissue.
How do I know if the nerves in my tooth are dead?
Though you may expect a dead nerve to cause numbness, it actually results in severe pain. This is because the pain comes from nerve endings around the edge of your tooth, which are extremely sensitive.
Can root canal therapy cause headaches?
You shouldn’t feel anything more than mild discomfort for a few days after root canal therapy. If you’re suffering from headaches or any other type of debilitating pain, call us right away.
How long does root canal therapy take?
In most cases, root canal therapy is completed in one appointment, though larger infections may require longer treatment.
Visit Dr. Milsap for Root Canal Therapy
An infected root canal can lead to a wide range of problems from chewing pain to tooth loss. That’s why it’s crucial to get treatment at the earliest sign of any symptoms.
Call our practice at (239) 936-3030 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Milap today. Rest assured, he can relieve your pain and protect your teeth from damage.