You have a throbbing, discolored tooth. You're considering extraction, but is that your best choice? The American Association of 
Endodontists, specialists in root canal therapy, says there are numerous arguments against dental extraction, with bone loss and gum recession being just two of them. A great alternative may be a root canal, a restorative treatment which Dr. Rujal Parikh, your Stockton and Manteca, CA, dentist often recommends to his patients.
What is root canal therapy?
This in-office restorative treatment removes the pulp from a tooth's interior chamber and root canals--hence, the name. Usually performed in two one-hour treatments at Central Valley Dentist with the benefit of local anesthetic, root canal therapy extends the life and usefulness of a tooth compromised by:
- Oral injury, as in a motor vehicle or sports accident
- Chip or deep fracture
- Multiple and failing fillings
- A dental abscess, or infection
Visual examination and X-rays confirm the need for root canal therapy. If you qualify, Dr. Parikh will numb your tooth and drill a small hole into the first of up to 4 root canals. Then, using small metal files, he'll clean and debride the canal, smooth its walls, disinfect it and then seal it with biocompatible gutta-percha and a temporary filling. After complete healing, your Stockton and Manteca dentist places a sparkling porcelain crown.
Do you need a root canal?
Some people do need one but show no obvious symptoms. Other patients are very uncomfortable, showing signs of:
- Throbbing toothache pain
- A red pimple at the gum line
- Bad breath unrelieved by usual oral hygiene
- A large crack or chip
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Lingering dental sensitivity to heat or cold
- Fever
- Bad-tasting drainage
- Jaw swelling
Also, some teeth simply weaken with age (wear and tear) or repeated filling procedures. A damaged or loose crown may necessitate root canal therapy.
Are these procedures successful?
Generally, root canal treatments at Central Valley Dentist are highly successful. Patients experience relief of their pain and other symptoms, and they avoid harmful smile gaps. Most teeth restored in this way stay in place for decades.
Find out more
If you are concerned about the health of a tooth, please contact Central Valley Dentist for an appointment. Root canal therapy could spare your tooth. In Manteca, CA, call (209) 825-1030, and in Stockton, CA, phone (209) 955-1800.