Root Canal Therapy

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Root Canal Therapy in Jefferson Park, Chicago, IL


Hearing the term root canal often conjures up feelings of dread. Perhaps you’ve heard that root canal therapy is extremely invasive and painful. However, root canal therapy is much like any other dental procedure and serves the purpose of preserving your teeth and preventing issues from worsening.

Symptoms That Root Canal Therapy Is Needed

Root canal therapy may be necessary if you experience any of the following:
• Excessive, deep tooth decay
• Abscess or infection around the gumline
• Tooth injury
• Temperature sensitivity
• Swelling or tenderness
• Severe toothache

Such symptoms require a prompt dental assessment to prevent further problems and possible tooth loss.

What Is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is when the interior of a tooth is treated. Inside of each tooth is a pulp chamber that lies beneath the hard-layered middle section of the tooth referred to as the dentin. The pulp chamber (or root canal) houses connective tissue, blood vessels, cells, and nerves are crucial to teeth development.

Sometimes, deep cavities or tooth fractures will compromise the pulp chamber which causes the pulp to become sensitive, inflamed, and will even lead to infection. If not properly addressed, the infection can spread to other teeth, bone, and surrounding nerve tissue. When the pulp is compromised, it cannot be repaired with a routine brushing or flossing, and a standard dental filling will not correct the issue either. Unlike other areas of the body that swell because of injury, the pulp is constricted by the hard tooth enclosure. Therefore, when inflammation and infection occur, it must spread somewhere else, which puts other teeth at risk.

To prevent this from happening, root canal therapy is done which consists of completely emptying the pulp chamber of all tissue, and nerves from the fractured or decayed tooth, removing the infection and filling in space with a soft rubber-like filling material. This filling will seal the canal of the tooth completely to prevent contamination.

Once the nerves and tissues are removed, the tooth is dead. You will no longer experience pain and the exterior of the tooth is still intact. However, a dead tooth is extremely fragile because, with all interior living substance, it receives no nourishment. To prevent breakage or chipping the tooth is preserved with a filling or crown for protection.

If you are experiencing tooth pain and think you may need root canal therapy in Jefferson Park, Chicago, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our dentists for a consultation.

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Office Hours

Monday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
*Saturday 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Sunday Closed

* Every Other Week

 

Office Hours

Monday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
*Saturday 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Sunday Closed

* Every Other Week