Dentists Serving Greenville, Simpsonville, Landrum & Nearby Areas Of South Carolina And North Carolina
Endodontics is a special branch of dentistry that can relieve your tooth pain, preserve your tooth, and save your smile. Also known as root canal therapy, this area of dentistry focuses on treating the soft pulp tissue that is inside the tooth, which can lead to pain and even tooth loss if left untreated. This treatment was developed to fix the cause of your tooth pain without having to extract the affected tooth.
If you’re experiencing tooth pain and believe you may need root canal treatment, please contact Wood Creek Dental today by calling us at 864-288-5300 for our Greenville office and 864-457-3425 for our Landrum office for your free consultation. We proudly provide quality dental services to those who live in areas of upstate South Carolina as well as North Carolina.
“I never thought I’d be writing a thank you note to a dentist’s office, but I could not let this go unappreciated. I wanted to thank you for a “wonderful root canal.” I never imagined I could use those three words in the same sentence. Also, thanks for treating me like a person and not just another patient. It is that type of care that will keep me coming back to you in the future. I would be glad to recommend your office to anyone looking for a dentist! A million times thank you.”
- Andy M.
Causes of a Root Canal
As much as we seek to prevent the need for a root canal, there are many reasons someone may require endodontic or root canal treatment. When the center of the tooth (where the blood supply and nerve are both located) becomes inflamed or infected, the tooth needs a root canal. Some factors that might trigger this include:
- Trauma to the tooth
- Large decay (cavities)
- Heavily restored teeth
- Cracks or chips in the tooth
Occasionally, there may be no symptoms that are noticed by the patient, but your dentist may find visible evidence of infection at the end of the root on a routine, preventive radiograph.
Noticeable symptoms that may point to the need for a root canal can include:
- Extreme and/or lingering sensitivity to hot or cold
- Spontaneous pain and/or swelling
- Drainage from the tooth
- Discoloration of the tooth
- Visible exposure of the nerve of the tooth after trauma
A root canal gives a patient the benefit of eliminating the pain and infection within the tooth, without having to extract it. In turn, this helps maintain the bone structure and integrity of the jaw by preventing bone loss, which occurs naturally over time once teeth are removed.
What is the Root Canal Therapy Procedure Like?
During root canal therapy, a small access hole is made on the surface of the tooth, allowing our dentists to gently remove infection and debris from the inner chamber. Once the tooth has been thoroughly cleaned, a dental crown is placed over the top to help prevent future infection and protect the tooth from extraction.
How Can I Manage Pain Before My Root Canal Procedure?
Tooth infection may result in acute or chronic pain. When you are experiencing tooth pain, it is important to call our office right away. The sooner you receive treatment, the sooner you can return to comfort.
Pain management before your procedure may include oral medications, cold compresses, and topical medications that serve to numb the area until you can make it to our office. Once root canal therapy has been completed, there will not be any more pain to deal with.
How Can I Prepare for Root Canal Therapy?
It is important to avoid tobacco products and alcohol in the 24 hours leading up to your root canal procedure. Depending on your specific needs, it may be a good idea to take an oral pain reliever before your appointment as well, though this is not always necessary.
Root canal therapy is not much more invasive than a dental filling. It requires very little preparation on your part.
What is Recovery and Aftercare for This Procedure Like?
It may take up to one week to recover from a root canal. During this time, lingering discomfort can be addressed with over-the-counter medications. It can take a few weeks to adjust to your new dental crown as well. Any speech or bite irregularities that you experience should be temporary and self-resolving.
Keeping your mouth clean after root canal therapy is important. We will provide you with instructions on how to care for your new crown after it has been placed to help ensure the easiest transition.
Will I Require Anesthesia or Sedation for Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is performed with a local anesthetic to help ensure your absolute comfort. If you are concerned about the procedure or if you have general dental anxieties, we would be happy to discuss the safe, gentle, and effective dental sedation options we offer.
Your comfort is our top priority. Please let us know if you believe sedation could help to improve your experience at our office.
How Safe Is Root Canal Therapy?
Root canal therapy is completely safe. More than that, it’s necessary to prevent tooth loss.
Root canal removes infection from the pulp chamber of the tooth. This preserves the natural tooth, preventing the need for extraction, which helps to preserve the integrity of the bite. It also helps to reduce risks for future infection and disease, and works to prevent jaw shrinkage and collapse, both of which can follow tooth loss.
Root canal therapy relieves pain, preserves natural teeth, and restores strength and comfort to the bite.
Helping You Along the Way
The dentists at Wood Creek Dental hope you never need a root canal. In fact, we offer great preventative dentistry services to help keep your mouth healthy. Coming in every six months for a cleaning and exam, along with having routine diagnostic radiographs, enables our experienced doctors to identify and treat decay before it has a chance to progress to the nerve.
On the occasion you might need endodontic treatment, we want to assure you that we provide a comfortable and caring environment where various options are available to help put you at ease during your dental treatment. Blankets, pillows, and even headphones tuned to your choice of music are standard comforts for helping you relax and for dispelling anxious or fearful thoughts.
For those highly anxious dental patients who need further assistance, we are pleased to offer sedation dentistry services at our Greenville office. This option allows you to receive your needed treatment with optimal comfort and safety. Our doctors and team here at Wood Creek Dental are happy to discuss all of our options for your dental treatment with your best interests in mind.
Contact Wood Creek Dental Today
If you’ve been suffering from tooth pain, it’s important to have it examined before it becomes worse. Please contact us by filling out the form on the bottom of this page or by calling us today at 864-288-5300 for our Greenville office and 864-457-3425 for our Landrum office to schedule your next appointment. Our experienced dentists serve patients throughout Greenville, Landrum, Simpsonville, and the entire upstate South Carolina area.
