Root Canal in Farmington Hills, MI
Preserve Your Natural Smile
When decay reaches the innermost layer of your tooth, called the pulp, it can become infected. If the pulp becomes infected, root canal therapy is necessary to prevent the spread of infection and eventual tooth loss. Fortunately, the pain can be alleviated with treatment and your oral health can be restored.
A root canal serves as a last resort treatment to save your natural tooth in order to prevent tooth extraction. At Roman Shlafer, DDS, our goal is to preserve your natural smile wherever possible which is why Dr. Shlafer highly recommends this effective treatment.
Read on to learn more about root canals and how they can help preserve the longevity of your natural teeth.
When You Need A Root Canal
Tooth decay is damage to the structural integrity of your natural teeth. Once that damage reaches the pulp, it can lead to immense pain and other uncomfortable symptoms. The pulp of your tooth contains nerves and blood vessels, which will alarm you if they’re disturbed.
If you’re in need of root canal therapy, chances are you’ve experienced some of these symptoms:
- Sensitivity to hot or cold food or beverages
- A bump appears near the affected tooth
- Tenderness or swelling of the gums near the tooth
- Darkening of the tooth
- Pain in your face, jaw, or teeth
- Chipped or cracked tooth
- Tooth mobility
These symptoms all result from the effects of tooth decay which is preventable with good dental hygiene paired with biannual dental visits. However, the damage will not go away without professional intervention. Even if the pain subsides, if left untreated, the decay can cause tooth loss, periodontal disease, and other health complications.
If you’re experiencing any signs or symptoms indicating that you need a root canal, we can put an end to your pain and protect your health by getting a root canal treatment with our Farmington dentist Dr. Shlafer.
Root Canal Therapy in Four Steps
Root canals are notorious for being painful but at Roman Shlafer, DDS, we go to great lengths to ensure root canal therapy is painless so you don’t have to worry during your procedure. Root canal therapy prevents the spread of infection, restores your tooth health, and can even save your other natural teeth.
The root canal process can be completed in just four easy steps that span over two appointments depending on your unique situation. You can expect the following:
- Numbing: The inside of your teeth contains pulp tissue which consists of blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerve cells, which is why root canals are notorious for being painful. To combat this, we offer local anesthetic or even dental sedation for a completely painless root canal.
- Cleaning: Once numb, we’ll place a rubber dam around the affected area so that your tooth remains dry and saliva-free. Dr. Shlafer will make a small incision behind or on top of the tooth in order to access the pulp tissue. Your infected tooth is thoroughly cleaned out and all signs of tooth decay are removed. Medication is applied to reduce infection and swelling.
- Sealing: Once the area is sterilized, a sealer made from a biocompatible composite material is then used to fill and protect your tooth root.
- Capping: A crown (cap) is placed after a root canal to prevent your tooth from breaking or cracking. We’ll take detailed impressions of your bite following your root canal so that we can create a customized crown that will blend seamlessly into your smile and restore it to full function. Once the crown is made, you’ll return to our Farmington Hills office for final placement.
Recovering from Root Canal Therapy
After the procedure, you’ll want to follow a few guidelines to ensure the best possible outcome of the procedure. In addition to following any aftercare recommendations by Dr. Shlafer, you’ll want to follow these simple steps:
- Eat soft cool foods
- Chew on the opposite side of your mouth away from the surgical side
- Apply a cold compress to alleviate the pain
- Use over-the-counter pain relievers such as Ibuprofen to decrease pain and swelling
- Avoid smoking or alcohol for three days
- Refrain from exercising for the first few days
- Monitor how you feel
Anything that could put you or someone else in harm’s way should be avoided until your body has fully recovered from the effects of sedation.
- Express any fears or concerns regarding the surgery with Dr. Shlafer
- Avoid antibiotics prior to surgery unless otherwise told
- Refrain from taking painkillers prior to the surgery
- Avoid alcoholic beverages
On the other hand, a tooth extraction is necessary when the tooth is decayed and infected beyond repair. When you have a tooth extracted, the missing gap can lead to bone loss due to the lack of chewing forces that are necessary for strengthening the bone.
The missing tooth creates a gap that may cause the surrounding teeth to shift position to fill in the gap. That’s why it’s best to preserve your natural tooth and get the root canal as the first treatment option.
Get Relief with Dr. Shlafer
A nagging toothache can diminish your quality of life and lead to bigger problems. Dr. Shlafer can restore your oral health so you can live your life free of toothaches of pains. Contact our office by calling (248) 781-0040 and we’ll get to the root of the matter.
We proudly serve patients from Westland, Livonia, Birmingham, Novi, Farmington Hills, and throughout Michigan. Don’t wait, come and see how dentistry is done differently at Roman Shlafer, DDS.