If your tooth is suffering from a large crack, cavity, severe pain, or an abscess, our team might recommend gentle root canal therapy to help save it. If you are searching for the best dentists for root canal treatment in Gastonia, NC, look no further than Gastonia Family Dentistry! We are proud to be able to work with patients located in Gastonia as well as the nearby communities of Cramerton, McAdenville, Lowell, and Ranlo.
What Is Root Canal Treatment?
Root canals are one of the most common dental procedures, reportedly performed well over 14 million times each year in the United States. This treatment is designed to help save your natural teeth and keep you from needing dental implants or bridges.
During root canal therapy, our root canal specialists will remove the living tissue inside your tooth, including the nerves, and excise any bacteria or decay. After this step is completed, our doctors will clean out the chamber, treat it with a medicated material, and then fill it. This process is designed to restore the previously damaged tooth to its full function, and usually lasts a lifetime. Once your root canal therapy is completed, our dentists will place a dental crown on your tooth to protect it.
Do Root Canals Hurt?
Root canals are often misunderstood, causing many people to put off or avoid this treatment procedure. The misunderstanding generally concerns the misconception that root canals are painful, when in fact they are not.
Infected and damaged teeth are painful – root canals are done to relieve pain and restore health to the teeth. If you allow misconceptions to keep you from receiving necessary treatment, the pain of an infected tooth will become absolutely unbearable, and the damage so great that your tooth cannot be saved.
Our practice also offers oral conscious sedation, which can help patients with dental anxiety feel much more comfortable and relaxed and help their treatment fly by. Oral conscious sedation involves taking a pill and entering a deep state of relaxation, but patients are still alert enough to answer questions and be more or less aware of their surroundings. Whether you struggle with dental anxiety or just want to feel more calm and comfortable during your root canal treatment, our team would be happy to review your medical history and treatment plan to determine if you would be an ideal candidate for oral conscious sedation.
Do I Need A Root Canal?
Our doctors may recommend root canal therapy if you’re experiencing:
- Swelling and tenderness of your gums
- Severe tooth pain or sensitivity
- An abscess on your gums
- Sharp pain when biting down or chewing
These signs can indicate that decay has reached the pulp of your tooth, resulting in infection or an abscess inside the tooth or at the root.
A root canal is officially diagnosed through a combination of a dental examination and diagnostic tests. Your Gastonia dentist will first ask about your symptoms, such as tooth pain or sensitivity to hot and cold. They will then examine the tooth in question and take X-rays to look for signs of infection or damage to the tooth's pulp. Sometimes, our team may perform additional tests, like tapping on the tooth or applying a cold stimulus, to assess the extent of the problem. These steps assist us in determining if a root canal is needed to treat and save a tooth.
Faster Root Canals With Same-Day Crowns
After a root canal, getting a same-day dental crown is a convenient option to restore your tooth quickly.
Most dental practices will have you wear a temporary dental crown and make you wait two weeks while they wait for the lab to send them your permanent crown. With advanced technology like CEREC, our team can create and place a custom crown in just one visit.
First, we will take digital impressions of your tooth, which are used to design the crown on a computer. The crown is then milled from a ceramic block right in the office. Once it's ready, we will fit and bond the crown to your tooth, ensuring it looks natural and functions well. This efficient process saves time and protects your tooth immediately—no temporary crowns or extra dental visits required! To learn more about our root canal services or same-day CEREC® crowns, please get in touch with our friendly front office team, and we'll be glad to assist you.