Root Canal

At the center of every tooth is a hollow chamber that houses soft tissue known as pulp or nerve. Inside this chamber are root canals, which connecct to the root of your teeth.

Root canal treatment (also referred to as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy) is necessary when tooth decay reaches all the way to the pulp inside your tooth's inner chamber, causing individuals pain and discomfort. Tooth trama that results in this same kind of damage or infection may also necessitate root canal therapy. Once infection reaches the pulp, it must be treated as it cannot heal on its own and, if untreated, holds the potential to weaken an individual's entire immune system.

A root canal is performed to clean out the infected tooth pulp and disinfect the canal(s) of the tooth. Once the infection is resolved, a standard filling material is placed inside the canal(s) to prevent any further infection. Usually a core build-up and crown is recommended for restoring a tooth that has had root canal therapy. Utilizing our sedation dentistry, we can ensure that patients enjoy pain-free root canals by staying numb and comfortable throughout the procedure.

Delayed treatment of serious tooth decay can lead to the formation of an abscess, a condition where infection extends through the root tip and begins to erode the surrounding bone. In serious conditions, tooth extraction may be necessary.

An infected pulp has many symptoms including sensitivity to hot/cold or sweets, pain, swelling, pain from pressure and a bad taste in the mouth. Sometimes, however, no symptoms are apparent, and an individual is unaware of any problem until he/she has a dental examination.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or would like to set up a dental examination, please contact our Gainesville office today to set up an appointment.