If your tooth often hurts when you have a cold drink or eat ice cream, you may need a root canal. At Iliff Family Dental in Aurora, Colorado, Christopher Henes, DDS, performs root canals to save a tooth in danger of requiring extraction. This tooth-saving treatment can help preserve your smile. To learn more about root canal treatments, call the Iliff Family Dental office or schedule an appointment online today.

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What are root canals?

Root canals are tooth-saving treatments that replace the pulp inside your tooth with a biocompatible material. The pulp is a soft material inside your tooth chamber that contains nerves and blood vessels. Pulp is vital during your early tooth development, but it’s no longer essential once they reach their full maturity.

Decay that reaches the pulp can cause severe pain and sensitivity. It can also spread to your surrounding teeth. By removing the pulp, the Iliff Family Dental team may be able to help preserve your tooth to prevent complications that require extraction.

Who needs root canals?

Many people don’t realize they need a root canal until the decay has already spread. Understanding the early symptoms of a tooth infection may encourage you to seek care at the first sign of trouble. You may need a root canal if you experience:

  • Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
  • Tooth pain
  • Swollen gums
  • Throbbing
  • Fever
  • Jaw pain
  • Halitosis (bad breath)

Sometimes, when you have a tooth infection, a small pimple can form on the gums near the damaged tooth. This small bump may be an abscess, a fluid-filled sac that contains pus. If the abscess ruptures, it can spread potentially harmful bacteria into your bloodstream.

What happens during root canals?

When you arrive for your root canal, the team administers a local anesthetic to numb your tooth. Next, they create a small access hole in the center of your tooth using the most advanced technology, like a dental laser, to ensure maximum precision and safety.

The team removes the infected or inflamed tooth pulp using small instruments, and then cleans and disinfects the entire tooth chamber to prevent reinfection. Finally, they replace the pulp with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha.

Preventing reinfection is essential to protect your weakened tooth. The team typically places a filling to seal out new bacteria. However, they may recommend returning for a dental crown for extra protection.

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers the entire visible portion of your tooth. Iliff Family Dental offers same-day porcelain crowns, which only take one visit to plan and place.

To learn more about root canals, call the Iliff Family Dental office or schedule an appointment online today.