Need a root canal? There is no need to be worried!

A root canal is a procedure to treat a damaged or diseased tooth allowing you to keep your natural tooth. Millions of teeth are treated and saved this way each year, relieving pain and making teeth healthy again. Most people associate a root canal as being bad experience. In reality, it is a relatively painless and extremely effective procedure. It is the pain from an abscessed or dying tooth, that gives a root canal procedure it’s bad name. A root canal actually alleviates that pain and helps you get back to smiling, biting and chewing with ease in no time.

Saving the natural tooth with root canal treatment has many advantages:

• Efficient chewing
• Normal biting force and sensation
• Natural appearance
• Protects other teeth from excessive wear or strain

What to expect? A root canal is very similar to a filling, except that filling is in the root of your tooth. That tooth will be numb so you will be comfortable. Dr. Fryer will clean out the root canal area and place medicine to help clean up the infection. Usually, a root canal is a two appointment process because the medicine will be left in the tooth for two weeks. At the second appointment, the medicine will be removed and the root canal filling will be placed. In most cases, a crown is then placed on top of the tooth to protect it and preserve that tooth for years to come.