Root Canal Therapy In West Windsor

What Is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is a treatment used to restore and disinfect an infected tooth, and prevent further damage to the tooth. Tooth infections occur when the outer layers of enamel and dentin are destroyed by tooth decay or an oral injury. This exposes the pulp inside your tooth, which contains the nerves and blood vessels that keep your tooth alive.

As the pulp becomes infected by oral bacteria, it will begin to slowly decay. If you do not get treatment for an infected tooth, it will eventually die completely. This can lead to an abscess formation.

To prevent the tooth from dying, root canal therapy is used. This process involves opening up the tooth, removing decayed pulp and material from the inside, and then filling the tooth with an inert material. Finally, the tooth is covered up with a filling or a crown, restoring its shape and appearance.

What Are The Signs That I Might Need A Root Canal?

The most common sign is a prolonged toothache that lasts more than a day or two. Other associated signs and symptoms include swelling and discoloration of the gums near the tooth or discoloration of the tooth itself. You may also notice increased tooth sensitivity to temperature and pressure or notice swelling in your face or cheek, in severe cases.

What Can I Expect From The Root Canal Process?

The process of root canal therapy is pain-free and straightforward. It’s actually quite similar to having a cavity filled. First, Dr. Sulaiman or Dr. Singh will clean the treatment site, numb your mouth, and isolate your infected tooth with a dental dam.

Then, they will use a dental drill to remove any decayed tooth material and create a small opening into the interior of your tooth. Next, they will use special dental tools to extract decayed material from inside your tooth, and clean and restore the interior.

After this, your tooth will be filled with a rubbery substance that will replace the decayed material and help support the tooth’s structure. Finally, your tooth will be restored with a dental filling or temporary dental crown. Depending on its location, you may need to come back for a permanent crown.

Contact Us Now For Root Canal Therapy In West Windsor

Whether you’re in West Windsor, East Windsor or Princeton Junction, Dr. Munira Sulaiman and Dr. Mandeep Singh can help you get the treatment you need to restore your smile and your oral health. If you think you have an infected tooth and need a root canal, don’t wait. Contact us now at (609) 779-2054 or stop by our office at 335 Princeton Hightstown Rd, Unit 25, West Windsor Township, NJ 08550 to get an emergency appointment for a root canal.

What Are The Common Causes Of Damage To The Pulp?

Root canals are necessary whenever extensive tooth damage has resulted in an infection of the pulp. This is the delicate structure within your tooth that’s filled with nerves and blood vessels. It can become damaged in a few different ways.

The most common cause of damage to the pulp is untreated tooth decay. If you have a large cavity, it will continue to grow over time unless you get a filling or a dental crown. Once the cavity eats through the outer layers of your tooth, it will reach the pulp. This exposes the pulp to bacteria, causing it to become infected and damaged.

Serious dental trauma can also cause direct damage to the pulp. A dental injury can also crack or shatter the outer layers of the tooth, exposing the pulp to bacteria. Either way, this may result in a tooth infection.

Over time, teeth grinding can even contribute to pulp damage. If you grind your teeth, you may wear down the outer layers of enamel and eventually cause small cracks or fractures. Similarly to dental trauma, this can expose the pulp and cause it to become infected and damaged.

Does Root Canal Therapy Hurt?

No. At our office, root canal therapy is minimally invasive, and results in no pain or discomfort during the treatment process. The procedure is actually quite similar to a filling, just with a few extra steps to clean out the inside of the tooth.

To keep you comfortable, your mouth will be numbed by Dr. Munira Sulaiman or Dr. Mandeep Singh throughout the treatment process. You won’t feel anything during your treatment, so you can relax in the dentist’s chair.

After your treatment, you may feel a little bit of pain and discomfort for a few days. This is normal, since the root canal treatment process can irritate the gum tissue and nerves near the treated tooth. You should not experience any significant pain or discomfort after 3-4 days. If you do, contact Smile Society General Dentistry for a checkup, as this is not normal and could indicate complications with your treatment.

What Happens If I Don’t Get A Root Canal?

First, your condition will continue to get worse. As your tooth continues to die, you will experience a lot of pain and discomfort. The pain of an infected tooth can be excruciating, and interfere with your day-to-day life.

Eventually, you may begin to experience other symptoms. You may notice that your breath smells bad. This is due to the buildup of bacteria in the infected tooth. The tooth may change color as it dies. Once the tooth dies, it may loosen or fall out of your mouth completely, or it may remain in place.

You also could experience a serious, life-threatening condition called “sepsis.” This condition happens when a severe, untreated infection causes an uncontrollable immune response, which can attack and destroy the organs and tissue in your body.

Leaving your infected tooth untreated is not a good idea, for these reasons and many more. If you think you need root canal therapy in West Windsor, East Windsor, or Princeton Junction, contact Smile Society General Dentistry right away.