Expert Root Canal Treatment in Edina, MN

Gentle and Effective Endodontic Care

WHAT IS A ROOT CANAL?

Root canals are a relatively simple procedure that can save your tooth and your smile. They are also incredibly common. In fact, millions of Americans receive root canal treatments every year to save infected teeth.

A root canal can refer to both the inner part of the tooth between the pulp and tooth roots, as well as the dental procedure used to remove infected tooth material. In adult teeth, the purpose of tooth nerves is to sense heat, cold, and other stimuli, however, decay or infection in the tooth pulp can cause intense pain and a possible root canal procedure.

What causes a root canal?

Decay – Cracks, chips in your teeth, and even untreated cavities can cause tooth decay and root canal pain.
Disease – Having repeated dental procedures on the same tooth or in the same areas in your mouth can promote tooth decay and root canal pain.
Damage – Tooth decay may have penetrated the outer layer of the tooth, resulting in root canal pain.

Six Signs You May Need a Root Canal Treatment

During your exam, your general dentist will look for signs to indicate whether or not you need a root canal. These signs include:

The pain can range from sharp and intense to a dull, constant ache. In some cases, it may even be severe enough to wake you from sleep. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all pain is a sign a root canal is needed.

The swelling in your gums can range from being slight and reddish in color to a more pronounced region that has noticeable fullness. In extreme cases, the swelling may even extend to your face or neck.

This is a feeling of illness or uneasiness, fever, and/or tender lymph nodes. These symptoms are considered secondary, meaning they may be present, but are not directly indicative of a needed root canal. If you are experiencing tooth and gum pain in addition to malaise, then this will be weighed more heavily by your dentist when making a diagnosis.

If you have experienced pain or swelling around a tooth, your dentist will perform an x-ray examination to unearth the cause of the pain. The dentist will look for dark spots (radiolucencies) that are found around the tip of the failed tooth’s root.

Extreme discoloration of a tooth can mean that pathological changes have taken place within its nerves. This type of occurrence is fairly common with teeth that have experienced trauma and can be associated with symptoms of pain and swelling.

This means that during dental work, the dentist’s tool has made contact with the tooth’s pulp tissue. Tissue exposure as a result of tooth decay means the tooth is in immediate need for root canal treatment.

What You Can Expect

The root canal treatment is a multi-step procedure that may require one to three office visits.

Clean & Prep

A root canal treatment begins by cleaning out the damaged and infected areas of the tooth through an access hole.

Protecting Your Tooth

Once the infected areas of the tooth are removed (including the pulp and sometimes the nerves), it is sealed with a temporary filling to protect it against future damage and tooth pain.

Placing the Crown

Your follow-up appointment with your dentist will include the application of a permanent dental crown to ensure its structural integrity.

Choose Mint Dental for Your Root Canal

We’ll do everything possible to make sure you feel comfortable and at-ease.

A common misconception about receiving a root canal treatment is that the patient will feel extensive amounts of discomfort. Dr. Marwa and Dr. Tiwana will ensure you feel comfortable and at ease during your root canal procedure by using sedation dentistry. We regularly perform root canal endodontic treatments to remove infections and save our patients’ teeth. We are experts at successfully completing these procedures so that our patients can experience the utmost comfort.

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