Services
Root Canals
Root canals have a worse reputation than almost any procedure in medicine, and most of it is out of date. The treatment relieves the pain of an infected tooth, and in most cases it's what saves the tooth.
What's inside a tooth
Beneath the hard enamel and dentin, every tooth has a soft core called the pulp, containing nerves and blood vessels. Deep decay, a crack, or trauma can let bacteria reach the pulp, causing an infection or inflammation that a filling alone can't fix, because the infected tissue has to come out. That's what a root canal does: clean out the pulp chamber and canals, then seal them to prevent reinfection.
Signs that point toward needing one
- Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold that continues well after the stimulus is removed, instead of fading quickly
- Pain that comes on without any obvious trigger, especially if it's throbbing or worse at night
- Swelling or tenderness in the gum near a specific tooth
- A tooth that's darkened or discolored compared with the teeth around it
- A small, recurring pimple-like bump on the gum near the tooth
What the appointment involves
The tooth is numbed thoroughly and treated under anesthesia, which is a large part of why the procedure is far less unpleasant than its reputation suggests. Dr. Ali accesses the pulp chamber, removes the infected tissue, and cleans and shapes the canals before sealing them. A tooth that's had a root canal is more brittle afterward, so it's typically finished with a crown to protect it from cracking under normal biting force.
Root canal or extraction?
When a tooth can be saved, keeping it is usually preferable to removing it. A natural tooth, even a treated one, generally functions better and requires less follow-up work than a bridge, implant, or denture would. That's the reasoning behind recommending a root canal over an extraction whenever a tooth's structure allows for it.