Root Canals

A root canal is performed to save a tooth and your smile. Most of the time, a root canal is a relatively simple procedure with little or no discomfort involving one to three visits. After the dentist removes the pulp, the root canal is cleaned and sealed off to protect it. Then your dentist places a crown over the tooth to help make it stronger.

What Are The Symptoms?

Symptoms include:

  • Moderate to severe lingering toothache pain when drinking hot or cold liquids or foods
  • Moderate to severe pain when biting on a tooth
  • Sensitivity to tapping or pressure on the tooth
  • Toothache that wakes you up in the middle of the night
  • A pimple on your gum that may release pus or blood
  • Radiating pain from one area of the mouth to another

A pulpotomy is completed on a child’s tooth when it is severely infected or has a great deal of decay in an attempt to save the “baby” tooth. Children’s teeth not only function to chew, but to hold the space for their permanent teeth in the future. Following a pulpotomy, a restoration or “filling” is necessary and in some cases a stainless steel crown may be used as well.