Root canals sound scary and they don’t exactly have a reputation for being “fun.” A root canal is the removal of infected soft tissue inside the mouth, called pulp. Here are 5 key things to know about this dental surgery procedure.

• Don’t Be Fooled By Pain:
  Tooth pulp is painful because it’s packed with nerves and blood vessels. If this pain subsides, don’t be fooled into thinking the infection is gone. As pulp begins to die, the pain often disappears. Other symptoms will follow, like oozing pus and facial swelling, as the infection travels to your roots. Don’t delay your treatment based on lack of pain symptoms.
  
• Root Canal Surgery Shouldn’t be Painful:
  Pain and root canal surgery are often thought to go hand-in-hand. The dental surgery is designed to relieve pain, not cause more. Before the procedure you’ll receive a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and affected area. The procedure should feel more like a cavity being filled.
  
• Protect Your Tooth:
  After your procedure, your dentist will often place a temporary filling in the tooth. A permanent crown or filling will be added at another appointment. Before the tooth is fully restored, you must protect the tooth and it’s temporary filling because it is high risk for fracture.
• Root Canal Surgery Isn’t a Permanent Solution:
  Having a root canal procedure doesn’t protect your teeth from gum disease and cavities. However, crowns can last many years with consistent teeth brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits.
• Try Not to Extract Your Teeth Over a Root Canal:
  Once the pulp in your tooth is infected, the only other alternative to a root canal is having the tooth extracted. This is discouraged because removing one tooth can cause your other teeth to shift. This could change your bite and the quality of your smile!

At Pine Tree Dental Care we pride ourselves on our commitment to your well-being on every level. We do more than deliver the very best dental care possible. We offer an environment that is optimized for patient trust, safety, and comfort. Together we bring over 100 years of experience to the table.

Contact us to make an appointment. We hope we’ll see you in our dental office soon!