Root Canal

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay (cavities) can extend down into the soft tissue layer of your tooth. This layer is called the pulp, and it can become infected with the bacteria that causes tooth decay.

What is the pulp?

Under the white enamel and hard layer called dentin is the pulp which is located at the center of your tooth. The pulp is a collection of blood vessels that feed and build the surrounding tooth. When you experience tooth trauma, decay, cracks and chips, or repeated dental procedures, the pulp can become infected.

An infected pulp will cause pain as swelling develops in the tissues around or beneath the tooth. It can also result in an abscessed tooth when infection sets into the tissues.

A root canal is necessary when the pulp becomes infected or the tooth becomes abscessed in order to relieve pain and save the tooth.

Root Canal Therapy

Designed to remove nerves from the infected pulp of a tooth, root canal therapy provided by our team eliminates infection and pain while also reducing the chance of future infection. Once the root canal is complete, you will need to have a crown or other restoration placed to further protect the tooth and restore its normal function.

Saving Your Natural Teeth

Saving your natural teeth is always the goal, since it provides the best option for your optimal oral health. Over 15 million root canals are performed every year to save natural teeth and prevent the need for dental implants or bridges.

Do I Need a Root Canal?

If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, you may need a root canal:

• Persistent Pain in tooth, jaw, face, bone
• Tooth discoloration (gray or black)
• Sensitivity to Hot or Cold (sharp pain or dull ache)
• Cracked or Chipped Tooth
• Swelling or Gum Tenderness near painful tooth
• Bump-like pimples near painful tooth
• Tooth movement

What to Expect During a Root Canal

Depending on the treatment required, a root canal usually involves local anesthesia and may be completed in one or more visits. During a root canal, our team removes the damaged pulp, and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed to prevent future infection. Because we typically use local anesthesia, most patients can drive home and return to their normal routine immediately after their visit.

Root Retreatment

Root canal treatment is designed to last for life with proper care. However, sometimes a tooth may not heal properly after treatment. When this happens, pain and infection can return anytime within months to several years after treatment. The return of pain and infection necessitates retreatment to save your natural tooth.

There are a few reasons why the initial treatment may not have delivered long-term success including:

• Narrow or curved canals were not treated during the initial procedure
• Complicated canal anatomy went undetected in the first procedure
• Crown placement or another restorative procedure was delayed following the root canal
• Restoration did not prevent contamination from the saliva from reaching the inside of the tooth

Sometimes new issues arise with a tooth that has been previously treated. Below are a few common causes for retreatment:

• New decay can expose the root canal filling to bacteria, causing a new infection in the tooth
• A loose, cracked, or broken crown or filling can expose the tooth to new infection
• A tooth sustains a crack or fracture

Complimentary Consultation

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, call us today to schedule a complimentary consultation, and let our team at Blue Dental in NYC restore your oral health.