Root Canal
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Grant K. Parish, DDS
General Dentist & Cosmetic Dentist located in Dallas, TX
Contrary to what you’ve seen in movies and television, root canals aren’t that bad. They’re actually a relatively painless procedure that can salvage your tooth and save you from an extraction. Grant K. Parish, DDS, and his team provide gentle and effective root canals for their patients in Dallas, Texas, and its surrounding communities. If you’re in need of a root canal, don’t delay. Schedule your visit today by calling the office or booking an appointment online.
Root Canal Q & A
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a procedure that Dr. Parish performs to salvage a tooth that’s suffering from damage, decay, or an infected tooth pulp.
Your pulp is the soft inner area of your tooth that’s comprised of connective tissues, blood vessels, and nerve fibers. When your pulp is damaged or infected, it gets inflamed and swells, which pinches the nerves and causes a massive amount of pain.
The main purpose of a root canal is to remove your damaged pulp and seal off the inside of your tooth from further infection. Root canals have become synonymous with “painful procedure,” but that relation is totally unfounded. Root canals are actually no more painful than getting a simple dental filling, and alleviate the immense pain caused by infected tooth pulp.
What are the symptoms of damaged tooth pulp?
Some of the more common symptoms of damaged or infected tooth pulp are:
- Severe pain in your tooth
- Swelling in the tissues around your tooth
- A discolored or darkened tooth
- Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
- Increased sensitivity to hot and cold
- A small, pimple-like bump near the root of your tooth
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you might be in need of a root canal. If you are, schedule an appointment with Dr. Parish immediately. Early treatment minimizes the amount of damage endured by your oral health and increases the likelihood of successfully salvaging your tooth.
What’s involved in a root canal?
Dr. Parish first takes an X-ray of your mouth to assess the extent of your damage and to use as a roadmap for your procedure. Next, he numbs your tooth and the surrounding tissues with a local anesthetic and protects the rest of your mouth with a rubber dental dam.
He then drills a hole in the top of your tooth and uses a series of small files to remove the damaged pulp from within. Even if you weren’t anesthetized, you wouldn’t feel this part of the procedure because the decayed pulp is already dead tissue.
Once he’s removed all of the damaged pulp, he cleans and disinfects the inside of your tooth, then seals it with a rubbery compound called gutta-percha. Depending on the state of your tooth, he might reinforce its internal structure with a small metal or plastic rod.
He finishes the procedure by filling the hole he drilled in the top of your tooth and reinforcing your entire tooth structure with a dental crown.
What happens if I don’t get a root canal?
Besides continued pain, a root canal can lead to a number of more serious conditions if left untreated, such as:
- An abscess
- Tooth loss
- Infection of neighboring teeth and jawbone
- Sepsis, or an infection of your bloodstream
If you’re in need of a root canal, waiting to get treatment will only make it worse. Restore your oral health and find relief from your pain today by scheduling a visit with Dr. Parish. You can book your appointment by phone or online.
