A root canal can rescue your tooth and prevent you from needing a dental implant. At the office of Nicholas G. Rendon, DDS, in Vero Beach, Florida, Dr. Rendon can perform a root canal to preserve your tooth, and he can attach a custom crown for ongoing protection. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone today.
When do I need a root canal?
Dr. Rendon may recommend a root canal if you have a severely infected or damaged tooth. When the inside of your tooth, the soft pulp, is badly infected or damaged, it can compromise your whole tooth if you don’t get treatment.
A root canal removes all of the pulp while leaving your healthy outer tooth intact. Dr. Rendon is highly skilled and experienced in performing root canals, and he can discuss your options following a comprehensive exam.
What’s involved in a root canal?
First, Dr. Rendon administers a local anesthetic to completely numb the treatment area. Then he creates a small opening in the tooth and suctions out the pulp. Then he cleans the entire area and inserts a sterile material into the inner tooth.
Dr. Rendon then places a temporary crown over your tooth. In the next couple of weeks, a permanent crown will be made. When it’s ready, Dr. Rendon will replace your temporary crown with your permanent one.
Is there any downtime with a root canal?
After you get your temporary crown, you should rest for the remainder of the day while the anesthesia wears off. You should be able to go back to work the next day. You’ll also need to use your temporary crown cautiously, avoiding chewy and hard foods.
When you get your permanent crown, you may not need anesthesia. And you should be able to use your tooth as normal right after it’s placed.
Should I think about tooth extraction instead of a root canal?
Dr. Rendon may recommend a tooth extraction if you have a badly infected or damaged tooth. But, in most cases, he won’t recommend a tooth extraction if you have enough healthy tooth left to get a root canal.
Among the problems with getting an extraction are that you can be vulnerable to bone loss in the empty socket. Additionally, your other teeth can gradually shift over toward the empty space and cause serious alignment problems.
You can prevent these problems by getting a dental implant after an extraction, but if you can get a root canal instead, the process will likely be easier and less expensive.
To learn more about getting a root canal, book an appointment online or over the phone with Nicholas G. Rendon, DDS, today.