Root Canal Treatment Farmington Hills
Root canal treatment is needed to relieve the excruciating toothache caused by an infected or abscessed tooth. This procedure is the last resort for saving a tooth damaged by decay, gum disease, or trauma to the tooth's root.
Root Canal Treatment Relieves Tooth Pain
Most of us have heard the stories and jokes about root canals but the truth is root canal treatment doesn't cause pain—it relieves it. The reason the procedure is associated with pain is that, most often, the patient is already in severe pain when they arrive for treatment. Once our dentist numbs the tooth with a strong anesthetic, you won't feel any pain at all.
Dr. Nick Barone our caring dental team are pleased to offer gentle root canal treatment at our Farmington Hills, MI, dental office. If you are in pain, call us and we will get you on our schedule promptly to provide relief.
The Importance of Root Canal Treatment
Your tooth is composed of three layers: the hard outer layer called enamel, the softer layer beneath it called dentin, and an area of living tissue at the center of the tooth called the pulp. chamber.
Pulp contains the blood vessels, nerves, and tissue that keep the tooth alive. Once this area becomes infected, the delicate structure begins to break down, leading to inflammation and pain. Once the infection reaches the inside of the tooth, prompt treatment is crucial. The only alternative to a root canal is tooth extraction, which we want to avoid if at all possible.
What Happens during Root Canal Treatment?
The purpose of root canal treatment or therapy is to allow our dentist to remove the infected or inflamed pulp and preserve the tooth's structure. If we don't get rid of the infection quickly, it can spread to other parts of the body and even become life-threatening.
The first step is to access the inside of the tooth to remove the infected pulp. Next, Dr. Nick disinfects the tooth and fills the hollowed-out chamber with a rubber-like material to help prevent reinfection. The final step is to seal the tooth and protect it with a temporary tooth filling.
As a precautionary measure, we may prescribe antibiotics to fight any remaining infection.
Understanding the Symptoms of Root Canal Infection
One reason people fear root canal therapy is because they are usually in severe pain by the time they realize they have an infection. We want to help you avoid getting to the point of serious pain, so here are a few signs that may mean you need a root canal:
An unbearable toothache - Gum tenderness or swelling
- A raised bump on the gum
- A discolored or dark tooth
- Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
- Tenderness and pain when touching the tooth
- An awful taste in your mouth
Schedule an Emergency Dental Appointment with Us
We provide this information to help you understand a bit more about what root canal treatment involves and why prompt treatment is crucial. You can rest assured that Dr. Nick and our caring dental team will do everything possible to make your treatment comfortable and stress-free.
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and suspect you have a root infection, please call our Farmington Hills, MI dentist office as soon as possible. We are also pleased to serve patients in West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Novi, and surrounding communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
In a word, no. Performed properly, the typical root canal procedure should be rather straightforward and largely pain-free. The pain that many people (and countless sitcoms and movies through the years) associate with root canals is far, far more prevalent in whatever severe decay or breakage necessitates the root canal than in the procedure itself.
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a procedure in which a dentist removes a tooth´s infected or injured nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue, which are collectively known as the ¨pulp.¨
The procedure begins with the dentist in Farmington Hills numbing the patient’s gums surrounding the damaged tooth and the pulp inside. At this point, the dentist uses a drill to expose the tooth’s interior and then, using special instruments, removes the pulp and seals off the opening with a filling material that creates a healthy environment for tissue to grow back.
Not only are root canals extremely effective at providing immediate relief from discomfort, with proper care, their effects can generally be expected to last for more than a decade without requiring re-treatment.
Discover Root Canals in Farmington Hills, MI
If you’re in the White Bear Lake area and think that you may be in need of a root canal, contact dentist Dr. Nick Barone and the Barone Family Dental team to schedule an appointment!
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Nick Barone
Dr. Nick Barone obtained his Bachelor's with honors from the University of Michigan and completed his dental training at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, where he was on the Dean's List every semester.
Dr. Nick's favorite part of dentistry is developing relationships with patients and helping improve their smiles and their lives with quality dental care. He is active in the American Dental Association and the Michigan Dental Association.
In his free time, Dr. Nick enjoys listening to music, relaxing with friends and family, and getting outdoors.
Featured Blog Posts - Root Canal Treatment
5 Signs You Might Need a Root Canal
Tooth infections are unpredictable and can result in excruciating pain that keeps you from your normal activities. Root canal treatment is necessary at this point to relieve the pain of a tooth infection and preserve your natural tooth from extraction.
Here are some other signs that you may need a
Why Does Root Canal Treatment Fail?
Root canal treatment is highly successful, boasting a 95 percent success rate. However, there are times when it fails, and we have to consider the options. Here's what you should know.
Why Would a Root Canal Fail?
Root canal morphology refers to understanding and knowledge of the anatomy of a tooth's ...
The Root Canal Procedure in 4 Easy Steps
When you hear the words “root canal,” you might immediately remember a story you heard from a friend about a long, painful trip to the dentist. Perhaps you had a problematic dental experience that has caused you to feel anxious about going to the dentist. Well, the truth is that ...
Root Canal Treatment Technology
Panoramic X-Rays
Regular dental x-rays are crucial for providing our patients with the safest, most appropriate treatment. However, there are often cases where our dentist needs to see the entire mouth in a single image.
Panoramic x-rays are an important diagnostic tool because they provide a single continuous image of teeth, upper and lower jawbones, and surrounding tissue and structures. Uses for panoramic x-rays include treatment planning for Invisalign, dentures, dental implants, tooth extractions, and root canal treatment.
Rotary Endodontics for Comfortable Root Canals
The purpose of root canal treatment is to remove infected pulp from inside a tooth. The traditional approach uses manual instruments and can be very time consuming for the dentist to ensure that the canals are thoroughly clean and free of infection.
Rotary endodontics is electrically-powered technology that replaces the manual method and dramatically improves the comfort and efficiency of root canal treatment. Instead of rigid steel files, this technology employs a flexible tip that easily reaches into curved root canals to ensure that all traces of infection are gone. Using rotary endodontics also eliminates uncomfortable sensations, improves patient comfort, and helps us deliver excellent long-term outcomes.