Our team will immediately inform any patient if it becomes apparent that their tooth is not amenable to endodontic treatment or the chance of success is unfavorable. We use local anesthesia to eliminate discomfort and can provide nitrous oxide analgesia in some instances. You can drive home after your treatment and be comfortable returning to your routine.
A root canal is one of the most common dental procedures, with over 14 million completed annually. Most root canals are non-surgical, where a hole is drilled through the affected tooth to access and clean its nerve. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need for dental implants or bridges. This therapy usually involves local anesthesia and may be completed in one or more visits depending on the treatment required. Non-surgical root canals boast a ninety-percent success rate and rarely progress into a more complicated surgical procedure.
At the center of your tooth is the pulp, or a collection of blood vessels that build the surrounding tooth. Trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks, chips, or repeated dental procedures all damage or infect the pulp, leaving nerves exposed and vulnerable. Symptoms of the damaged or infected pulp are swelling of the tooth, sensitivity to temperature, or pain in the tooth and gums.
The need arises for a surgical root canal once the extent of the infection becomes untreatable by non-surgical means. A surgical root canal is also caused by an obstructed view of the mouth, preventing Dr. Tate from effectively targeting the exact sources of pain. Entering the canal through the gums instead of a tooth is the primary difference between surgical and non-surgical root canals. During a surgical root canal, Dr. Tate makes an incision in the gums instead of directly drilling into the tooth. This enables access to the tooth’s canal from a side entry so the infected tissue can be safely removed.