Are you in severe tooth pain from an infection? Root canals can save your natural tooth and preserve the integrity of your smile. Dr. David Rever offers a wide variety of treatments for tooth decay, including a root canal. He can perform your root canal in the comfort of our Silver Spring, MD, dentist’s office.
Root canal therapy is a general dentistry service Dr. Rever provides to the public in Silver Spring, MD. Receiving comfortable root canal treatment can save your permanent tooth and prevent future dental complications.
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal procedure is one of the most effective treatments for tooth pain. Root canals can treat advanced decay and severe tooth damage. A patient requires root canal treatment when the dental pulp is infected or inflamed. The dental pulp comprises the nerves, blood vessels, and cells that keep teeth alive.
Harmful bacteria often reach the pulp within a tooth through a cavity. Small cavities, or holes in teeth, need fillings. However, if cavities expose the inside of the tooth, it can cause extreme pain and discomfort.
If you have chronic tooth pain but are unsure if you have a dental infection, you may also experience:
- Swollen face or jaw
- Bad taste in the mouth
- Red and inflamed gums
- Pain when biting with certain teeth
- Difficulty chewing food
- Pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, or ear
As soon as you notice a change in the comfort of your teeth and gums, please get in touch with our office. If your tooth is too damaged from an infection, we may need to remove your tooth. Our goal is to preserve as much of your natural tooth as possible. We can save your infected tooth with a root canal.
Are Root Canals Painful?
Many patients fear that root canals are painful. However, a root canal can ultimately relieve the pain from a tooth infection.
Root canals are often no more uncomfortable than receiving a simple filling.
We offer dental sedation to ensure you do not feel pain during a root canal. Our dentist in Silver Spring, MD, offers options for dental sedation, including inhalation-conscious sedation and oral-conscious sedation. Sedation ensures that you feel relaxed and comfortable throughout your procedure. While you may feel sensations under sedation, you will not feel pain.
Root Canal in Silver Spring, MD
Dr. Rever will take dental X-rays to find which teeth require root canal treatment. Then, Dr. Rever will create a customized treatment plan after a complete dental exam. He will discuss the plan to treat oral pain and restore your smile before the procedure.
To begin root canal treatment, Dr. Rever will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area. He can administer nitrous oxide combined with oxygen through a mask. If you receive oral conscious sedation, Dr. Rever will prescribe you anti-anxiety medication before your procedure. It takes more time to take effect than other sedation options. You will need transportation to and from our office.
Once you are comfortable, Dr. Rever will make a small hole in the back of the affected tooth. He will remove the infected pulp within the tooth. Then, he will clean and disinfect the tooth. After that, he will fill the tooth with biocompatible material. This tooth-colored material seals the tooth to prevent future infection.
Dr. Rever may recommend placing a dental crown to protect and strengthen the tooth. Crowns are dental caps that fully cover teeth. They match the shape and shade of natural teeth. Dental crowns can also benefit you if you have a large filling that has the potential to damage your tooth further.
We want to keep your smile functioning at its best for years. Learn more about dental crowns.
Root Canal FAQs
Learn more about root canal treatment with answers to these commonly asked questions:
When do you need a root canal?
Do you have a tooth that aches severely? You may need restorative treatment to correct and address the discomfort. If a tooth becomes infected, we may recommend a root canal to save the tooth. Otherwise, an infection can continue to spread until a tooth requires extraction.
How does a tooth become infected?
An infection develops when bacteria come into contact with the pulp, a bundle of living tissue in the tooth’s center. This can happen due to injury or an untreated cavity that continues to spread.
How do I know if I need treatment?
The doctor will need to examine your smile and recommend treatment. Potential warning signs of an infection include fever, swelling near the teeth, pain when biting down or chewing, toothaches, or possibly a foul-tasting discharge erupting near the tooth. Don’t ignore possible warning signs. Talk to your dentist today.
What does root canal therapy involve?
The procedure involves gently opening the tooth and removing the infected tissue. Afterward, the doctor thoroughly cleans the interior of the tooth and root canals before placing a restorative filling. Finally, he will cap the tooth with a custom-made dental crown.
How much will a root canal cost?
The cost of your root canal will depend on the type of tooth treated and how many teeth we treat. We will examine your smile before root canal treatment and estimate treatment costs. Each patient is different, so treatment cost varies from patient to patient.
Will my tooth look natural afterward?
Your tooth will blend with the rest of your smile. We fabricate the crown using lifelike porcelain, then shade the material, ensuring the restoration matches the rest of your smile. If you have questions about root canal therapy, please get in touch with our office today.
Schedule A Root Canal Today
Dr. David Rever at Advanced Dental Care can alleviate tooth pain in a single visit. Schedule a root canal procedure in our Silver Spring, MD, office today. You may call us at (301) 637-0960 or request an appointment online.
Please let us know if you have dental symptoms or questions about root canal treatment. We’re here to restore your dental health.