Save a Badly Infected or Decayed tooth with Gentle Root Canal Treatment

When a cavity or damage is left untreated, harmful bacteria can reach the pulp chamber, damaging the tooth’s nerves, blood vessels, and other delicate tissues. This would have led to tooth extraction in the past, but today, we can save your tooth with a root canal (endodontic therapy).

Root canals have a reputation for being painful and unsafe, but modern root canals can be done with less time and with greater comfort. Olmos Park Dental uses advanced techniques and effective anesthetics to ensure that root canals in San Antonio, Texas, are nearly painless.

At Olmos Park Dental, Dr. Brandi Lindsey focuses primarily on dental treatments for incisors, canines, and premolars. While she does treat some molar cases, for particularly complex cases, Dr. Lindsey prefers to refer patients to specialists who can achieve the best possible results.

Do I need a root canal?

A root canal saves your tooth from extraction and prevents the infection from spreading to nearby structures. An infected tooth causes severe pain, but sometimes, infections don’t cause discomfort. When you visit Dr. Lindsey and the team, we’ll comprehensively examine your tooth to determine the need for a root canal.

Although only a dentist can determine whether a root canal is necessary, some general symptoms might indicate that one is needed.

These include.

  • Increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods
  • Excruciating toothaches that don’t respond to over-the-counter medications
  • Pain when chewing
  • A pimple-like swelling near the treated tooth
  • Facial swelling in the jaw area

Many patients, and even some dentists, believe that extracting an infected tooth is the quickest solution. However, extraction leaves a gap that can lead to various complications, such as bone loss, reduced oral function, and a loss of confidence. Filling that gap often requires expensive replacements like implants or bridges. Why go through this when you can save your tooth with a root canal?

The procedure: What can I expect?

The dentist will assess your tooth using dental x-rays to determine the extent of damage and the health of the surrounding bone. Next, you’ll be appropriately anesthetized to ensure a comfortable dental experience. Then, the dentist will place a rubber dam on your tooth to keep the tooth dry and contamination-free.

After this, the dentist will create an access hole in your tooth and use it to flush out the diseased tissues and any infected pieces of the tooth. The tooth will be rinsed, cleaned, and disinfected to keep it infection-free. Then, we’ll seal the tooth with biocompatible material (gutta-percha) to prevent future bacterial invasions.

Finally, we’ll restore the tooth with a dental crown to restore its function and appearance. After treatment, we’ll give you post-care instructions to ensure you recover quickly. Many patients take less than a week to recover from root canal treatment.

Why should I consider getting a root canal?

A root canal is an excellent solution for saving infected or damaged teeth. Still on the edge about root canal therapy? Consider its benefits.

A root canal:

  • Relieves pain
  • Stops the spread of infection
  • Preserves your natural tooth
  • Saves you from costly teeth replacements

If you have oral pain and suspect you need a root canal, Olmos Park Dental can help. Call (210) 767-3525 to reserve a root canal consultation with Dr. Lindsey. If a root canal is needed, we’ll ensure the procedure is as comfortable as possible.