Your teeth are designed to last your entire lifetime. Unfortunately, neglect, injury, and disease can threaten to shorten that lifespan. One of those threats can involve an infection of the pup tissue in your tooth. Left untreated, that infected pulp can damage the tooth’s supporting bone, and even lead to tooth loss. Ebenezer Dental can provide the root canal therapy that patients need to save those teeth.
Your teeth are not as they appear on the surface. In fact, the part that you see is simply the enamel outer layer that protects the inner parts. Beneath that outer layer, there is another layer of porous material that is known as dentin. Further within the tooth lies the pulp that makes up the third layer. Pulp consists of nerves and blood vessels, and can be infected as the result of untreated cavities or tooth injuries.
What is a Root Canal?
Root canal therapy – otherwise known as endodontic treatment – is a procedure that opens the affected tooth to remove that damaged pulp and clean out any infection. The process includes shaping the tooth, filling the area, and then sealing it to provide protection from further damage. At some point thereafter, patients also need a crown placement to finish the tooth restoration process and restore full dental function. Once the entire process is complete, that tooth will be as useful and attractive as ever.
Why is Root Canal Therapy Needed?
Root canal therapy is often the best choice for teeth that become infected or inflamed due to neglect or other damage. Unfortunately, improper dental hygiene, multiple dental procedures on the same tooth, and injuries like cracks or chips can result in pulp damage that eventually leads to infection. When that happens, patients generally have two options: a tooth extraction or root canal therapy. The root canal process is the best way to preserve as much of that tooth as possible.
Symptoms That Indicate You Might Need Root Canal Therapy
In many instances, patients won’t recognize that they require this procedure until their dentist identifies problems during a scheduled appointment. At other times, however, there are clear symptoms that indicate that a problem exists. These symptoms can include:
- Persistent pain
- Recurring sensitivity to temperature extremes
- Unexplained tenderness in the area
- Tooth discoloration
- Swelling and drainage of the lymph nodes
- Swelling of the gums around the tooth
Main Root Canal Benefits
Root canal therapy in midtown Manhattan offers many benefits. The most important of those benefits is the ability to save a tooth that might otherwise be extracted. Other benefits include pain relief and improvements in function and appearance. Infected areas often cause painful sensations and increased sensitivity for patients. A root canal procedure can eliminate that pain. Moreover, most patients find the procedure to be relatively painless, though there may be some ongoing sensitivity for several days after the root canal treatment. Eventually, that sensitivity subsides as well.
Root Canal Therapy from Ebenezer Dental
Dr. Karen Kang and here team are committed to providing patients with the most effective root canal therapy in midtown Manhattan, in their comfortable and welcoming office in NYC’s historic Garment District. Dr. Kang’s experience with this procedure helps to ensure that you can preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible, while restoring both aesthetic beauty and dental function to the area. Give us a call today at (212) 687-4400 to schedule your appointment and enjoy the benefits that professional root canal therapy can provide.