Root Canal Therapy | Grand Rapids, MI
When we think about oral health, we often think about the gums and teeth on the surface. However, diseased tooth pulp can cause you a lot of pain and even necessitate tooth extraction.
Thankfully, our dentist in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is able to intervene with root canal therapy to help save your tooth.
When Root Canals are Needed
Root canal treatment is needed when a patient has an oral infection that spreads to the pulp (living tissue) inside their tooth. This can cause severe pain, especially if the infection is allowed to spread into the tooth roots.
Infected tooth pulp can be caused by:
- Deep tooth decay
- Traumatic oral injury
- Too many dental procedures done on the same tooth
- Large fillings
- Tooth chips and cracks
Signs You Need a Root Canal
Below are the common . Keep in mind that you may not show any of these signs, which is why it’s so important to schedule dental exams every six months with our Grand Rapids dentist so she can prevent tooth loss.
Call us if you have the following symptoms:
- Severe toothache, especially when chewing or biting down
- Darkening of tooth
- Prolonged tooth sensitivity
- Gum swelling and tenderness near affected tooth
- Pimple on the gums
- Sensitivity to temperature changes
Root Canal Procedure
Depending on your unique circumstances, you may need to come one to three times to our office for your . First, our dentist will drill a hole through the top of your tooth in order to remove diseased dental pulp, bacteria, and other debris.
The inside of your tooth will then be cleaned and disinfected before the tooth canals are reshaped. A special type of sealer is then used to fill the tooth’s root canal. A large filling is usually put on top to cover the access hole. However, your dentist will most likely need to place a root canal crown on top to prevent the tooth from breaking.
Request an Appointment with Dr. Dodds
Dr. Alexandra Dodds is an experienced , who offers a full range of restorative dentistry options. To request an appointment, please call Renew Family Dental at (616) 245-3205. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.