Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is misperceived as an egregiously painful restorative procedure.  The truth is root canal therapy causes minimal, if any pain when performed correctly.  Our Carol Stream, IL dentist goes to great lengths to keep you as comfortable as possible throughout the entirety of your root canal therapy.  However, you might not know you need root canal therapy until an in-depth analysis of your oral health is performed at our office.  If you feel even slight pain in a tooth or have not been to the dentist in six months, reach out to our dentist today at (630) 665-7350 to schedule an appointment.

Root canal therapy is performed across two appointments at our Carol Stream dental practice or an endodontist’s office.  X-rays provide a clear image of the canal to analyze the magnitude of the damage.  Root canals are performed under local anesthetic to ensure your tooth and the surrounding gum are completely numb.  However, if the tooth is fully dead and not sensitive, a local anesthetic might not be necessary.  The dentist positions a rubber dam by the tooth to keep it completely dry throughout the root canal treatment.  The rubber sheet also serves the purpose of preventing the inhalation or swallowing of chemicals used during the root canal treatment. 

A dental drill opens the problematic tooth through the crown, providing access to the soft pulp within the tooth.  Infected pulp is subsequently removed.  If there is swelling filled with pus, referred to as a dental abscess, the dentist will proactively drain it during the root canal treatment.  Once the pulp is eliminated, the dentist cleans the canal and expands it as necessary.  The final step is to seal the tooth with a temporary filling.