Austin Dentist, Dentist in Austin, TX

Root Canal (Endodontics)

Endodontics is the dental procedure that deals with the nerves of the teeth. When a tooth becomes infected it is usually related to the nerves in the root of the tooth.  The infected nerves must to be removed or the tooth must be extracted.  If left untreated an infection can turn into an abscess, which is a much more serious problem that includes bone loss in the jaw.

The area around the tooth is numbed with a local anesthetic to start the procedure. We create an opening to access the canal. We will then be able to remove infected tissue and clean the canal with a variety of titanium files.

After the nerve tissuse has been removed, the space if filled with a sealant called gutta percha.  It is highly recommended that a tooth that has undergone a root canal have a crown placed.  This will improve the appearance of the tooth, and will also make the tooth stronger and will not break.

“Root canal”  a scary term for dental patients to hear, but the benefits of the procedure and advances in dental technology have made it much less “scary”.  Local anesthetics and proper pain medication allow the procedure to be performed with little to no pain in most cases.  There may be some soreness following the procedure, but that is normal for most dental procedures.  Over the counter painkillers are usually enough to relieve any pain afterwards, but we will prescribe medication. 

Properly performed root canals can make a tooth last a lifetime.