Root Canal Therapy

At Heart of Vinings Dentistry, we strive to provide excellent preventative care to make sure all of our patients’ teeth remain healthy and strong. Whenever possible, we make every effort to use the most minimally invasive treatments possible. Sometimes, however, a more involved procedure, like a root canal, may become necessary to save your tooth.

Why Do I Need a Root Canal?

Many reasons can cause the nerve of your tooth to become infected or inflamed, including:

• A cracked tooth
• Injury to your tooth
• Severe tooth decay

Sometimes, the infection may fly under the radar for years. Symptoms that occur may include:

• Throbbing pain
• Intermittent, spontaneous pain
• A recurring bump at the gum line
• Darkening of an infected tooth

This is the time that a root canal may be necessary to alleviate your dental pain and allow us to save your tooth.

Can't You Just Pull My Tooth?

Many people think that removing the tooth is the only way to stop the pain or fix the problem they have in their tooth, but they don’t realize that having the tooth pulled will ultimately be more expensive and cause problems with adjacent teeth.

We understand the term “root canal” can send tingles down your spine. However, Dr. Patel’s dedication to learning the latest techniques and having the most up-to-date technology and materials allows him to treat his patients in the gentlest ways possible. Most root canal therapy treatments completed by Vinings dentist Dr. Ronak Patel are no different than you coming in for a filling and are virtually painless. Some patients have even been known to fall asleep during the procedure!

Your comfort is very important to us, and we will take every measure available to make sure that your procedure is easy and comfortable. Despite what you may have seen on TV or in the movies, dentists are compassionate and humane people! We never want to cause pain, and your trust means the world to us.

Only an experienced dentist like Dr. Patel can officially determine if you need a root canal. He will assess your symptoms, take digital x-rays, and evaluate your condition to conclude if endodontic (root canal) therapy is necessary. A root canal can be performed by a general dentist, like Dr. Patel, or an endodontist (root canal specialist). Dr. Patel will be able to determine whether he can do the procedure in his office or whether this particular case would be better in the hands of an endodontist.

Upon completion of your root canal (usually a week later)…

A filling will be placed to cover any tooth material removed during the procedure. In addition, all teeth that have root canals should have a crown (or cap) placed. This will protect the tooth from further damage and restore its function so you can finally chew on that side again!

If you are in pain, please call our Vinings dental office today so that we can evaluate your teeth and determine the appropriate treatment to relieve your pain and protect the health of your smile.

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