Stop toothaches, restore and save your smile with endodontic treatment/root canal therapy
Our teeth are incredibly strong. The protective armor or enamel that covers our teeth is stronger than skeletal bone. Yet, even this natural material can be threatened due to progressive decay or disease or due to more acute injuries and trauma. When this happens, the soft pulp tissue inside the tooth may become inflamed or infected. Since this pulp contains nerves and blood vessels, you will likely know that it is damaged! The problems that are associated with endodontic treatment, most commonly known as “root canal therapy” (RCT), can cause extreme discomfort or pain.
However, RCT at Laurel Morello DDS in El Cajon, California, is designed to quickly relieve pain at the source – by removing the inflammation or infection. It also saves teeth that would otherwise need to be removed because they are “too far gone” or too damaged to be preserved.
In turn, RCT presents an affordable and conservative alternative to the extraction of the tooth, followed by the addition of a prosthetic tooth. As good as today’s prosthetic teeth are, no tooth is still superior in form and function than a natural and healthy one.
What to expect
The skill of our dentists, Drs Laurel and Paul Morello, is complemented and amplified by cutting-edge dental technologies. Tools like microscopy and digital imaging support the most precise, quick, and painless treatment. For patients whose teeth contain deep pulp inflammation or infection:
- First, the affected tooth is numbed. So you won’t feel anything!
- Second, a small shield or protective covering is applied to keep the tooth dry and clean.
- Next, an opening is created in the tooth’s crown to access the pulp chamber.
- Then, the pulp is removed and small instruments are used to carefully clean and reshape the surrounding root canals.
- After the canals are sterilized and reshaped, they are filled and sealed up to protect the treatment site and encourage healing.
In most cases, a temporary crown or filling is also applied while the tooth heals and the permanent restoration is made. It is generally recommended to get the permanent restoration secured to the tooth promptly. That way, we prevent root canal treatment failures or the reinfection of the tooth. With good care, no further treatment is necessary. Your treated tooth can last a lifetime!
Call Laurel Morello, DDS, at (619) 404-2634 to schedule your visit to our El Cajon, CA office. The damage mentioned here does not subside on its own without intervention. It requires prompt, professional care, and we just may be able to save even a badly decayed or severely injured tooth!