Root Canal Procedure

Save Your Natural Tooth with Expert Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is one of the most common procedures in modern dentistry. If your tooth decay has progressed so much that it requires more than a simple filling, then the cavity has likely reached the tender pulp inside your tooth. Root canal treatment is an effective way to save your tooth from extraction.

Untreated, bacteria that reach your pulp can lead to an infection and excruciating nerve pain. Putting off treatment reduces the chances that Dr. Victoria Kushensky, your Bronx, NY dentist, can save your tooth. In many ways, a root canal procedure is the last chance to save a natural tooth.

Your family dentist at Hutchinson Metro Dental in Bronx, NY always prefers to preserve your natural teeth and roots whenever possible. Dr. Kushensky and her team in Bronx are highly experienced in treating injured or diseased dental pulp. Call today to learn more about root canal costs, which are covered by insurance, so you can move quickly into root canal recovery.

Getting to the Root of Your Problem

The pulp inside of your tooth is where your nerve, blood vessels and connective tissue live. The root canal actually runs between the pulp and root tip of your tooth, deep in your gums. While your nerve isn’t vital to the health of your tooth, it certainly can cause a lot of pain and discomfort.

Once the pulp of a tooth has been damaged, it begins to break down. This gives harmful bacteria the time and place to multiply. Besides the pain, the biggest danger of untreated nerve pain is an infection.

What Are the Signs You Need a Root Canal?

Sometimes, the signs of damage or infection in the tooth are symptomless.

If you do have symptoms, they may include the following:

1. Toothache: Toothache that fails to go away and feels as if it is deep inside the tooth. The pain may spread to nearby teeth, your jaw, or facial muscles.
2. Pain when you bite or chew: Your tooth may feel painful when you put it under pressure during biting or chewing. This can indicate that the nerves in the tooth pulp are damaged or infected.
3. Tooth discoloration: An infection in the tooth pulp can prevent the blood vessels from transporting blood to the tooth. As a result, it can become discolored and darkened.
4. Swollen gum: The gum around the tooth can become swollen and feel tender.
5. Pimple on your gum: A pimple can develop on the gum nearest the tooth and is caused by a buildup of pus. If the pimple begins to ooze, the pus will likely smell very unpleasant.
6. Bad breath: You could have bad breath or an unpleasant taste.
7. Facial swelling: Your jaw or face could begin to swell due to pus buildup that cannot drain away from the infected tooth.
8. Loose tooth: The infection can spread to the jawbone surrounding the tooth, destroying bone and other structures like periodontal ligaments so your tooth feels loose.

Root Canal Therapy Answers

Your Bronx, NY dentist, Dr. Victoria Kushensky wants you to be fully informed about the procedure. Answering all of the basic questions helps you feel comfortable about this painless process.

You’ll receive all the answers you need for questions such as:

• How much does a root canal cost?
• Is there pain after root canal?
• What about root canal recovery?

Today’s root canal procedures are much faster than they were in the past. The procedure is largely painless, too, but if you still feel anxious, ask about sedation dentistry at Hutchinson Metro Dental. Your root canal is completed in a single dentist visit. Depending on the type of dental crown you’ve chosen, a second visit may be necessary to place your permanent crown.

The end result is durable and long-lasting. Your jaw and surrounding teeth are much stronger following a root canal. And it’s virtually impossible to distinguish your dental crown from the surrounding natural teeth. Any discomfort you experience after your root canal is minor and temporary. You can treat it with over-the-counter pain relievers.

The Procedure for Root Canal Therapy

Dr. Victoria Kushensky in Bronx, NY begins by taking x-rays of your tooth. These are necessary to help him determine if there’s an infection present. The images also reveal how severe the infection has become. After the assessment of your tooth root, your dentist numbs the tooth and surrounding area of your mouth.

Once you’ve confirmed that your tooth is numb, Dr. Kushensky drills into the tooth to remove the damaged, infected pulp. The pulp chamber is then filled with medicine to kill any bacteria left. The roots of your tooth that were hollowed out are sealed with a rubbery material. The last step of this procedure is to fill your tooth and apply a dental crown.

Crown options include:

• Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns
• All-resin crowns
• All-ceramic crowns
• Gold crowns
• Zirconia crowns

After It’s Over

The most discomfort you may experience from this procedure typically comes from holding your mouth open for an extended time. Your actual tooth is numb for the procedure. Once your nerve is removed, you can’t feel pain in that tooth. The area around your tooth may be slightly tender, but this typically only lasts a day or two at most.

Root canal therapy is widely practiced because the results are reliable, with a documented success rate of more than 95 percent. The results look and feel natural, and most crowns have proven durable. It’s difficult for even you to tell the difference between a crowned tooth and your natural teeth.

Continue your daily routine of brushing and flossing after your root canal treatment. And continue seeing your Bronx, NY dentist at Hutchinson Metro Dental for your regularly scheduled check-ups. Restorative dentistry spares you the pain and embarrassment of unnecessary tooth loss. Contact Dr. Victoria Kushensky for the best care and painless root canal therapy.