Can an Emergency Dentist Do a Root Canal?

Oct 01, 2022

If the persistent toothache bothers you, it indicates you have a severe infection in the tooth from untreated decay or damage. In such cases, it is crucial to seek an emergency appointment to get a root canal and preserve your natural tooth.

Dentistry in Alexandria provides emergency care and specialized endodontic therapy to ensure patients are informed about the signs and symptoms of infected teeth. Therefore when affected by a painful tooth, do not wonder whether emergency dentists perform root canals because they do if you wish to seek root canal therapy in Alexandria.

Emergency Dentists Are Trained to Perform Root Canals

If you wonder whether emergency dentists can perform root canals, the answer is a resounding yes. Every professional graduating from dental school receives the training to provide root canal therapy. The Endodontists in Alexandria are specialists in providing this treatment with additional specialized training after completing dental school to perform root canals.

In reality, seeking help from an emergency dentist is often optimal for root canal treatment. You might want to receive treatment for the discomfort in your mouth immediately instead of waiting for an appointment with your regular dental care provider. In addition, when you visit the Alexandria dental practice, you access help from an Endodontist with the training needed to perform this delicate tooth-saving treatment. The earlier you receive a root canal, the better for you to preserve your natural tooth.

Signs Indicating an Infected Tooth

Mentioned below are a few symptoms that indicate you have an infection in your tooth:

  • A persistent toothache lasting several days without subsiding.
  • Pain radiates from your tooth to the jawbone, neck, or ear.
  • The affected tooth becomes discolored.
  • Swollen gums near the affected tooth.
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures and the pressures of biting and chewing.
  • Swelling in the cheeks or face.

Observing one or multiple symptoms mentioned above indicates an infection in your tooth. When you visit the Alexandria facility, they will assess your mouth and diagnose the condition. If you have an infected tooth, the specialist will eliminate the source of the infection to save your tooth. During the treatment, the specialist will open the tooth to remove the infected or inflamed dental pulp from within, disinfect it, and fill it with biocompatible materials to ensure the tooth is protected from further decay.

An Infected Tooth Represents a Dental Emergency

An infected tooth needs treatment soon after the infection is detected during routine exams and cleanings. When left untreated, the infection expands until it reaches the soft center of the tooth, the dental pulp housing the blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves. Getting the tooth restored promptly prevents the need for intensive therapies like a root canal. However, if you neglect to restore the tooth, you reach a stage when you can either have endodontic treatment or get the tooth extracted to find relief from the excruciating pain.

When you receive the same daycare from the emergency dentist in Alexandria, you enable yourself to prevent the need to search for replacement solutions because root canal treatment helps save your tooth instead of extracting it.

Root Canals Are Not Fearsome

The reverse is true with this specialized treatment, unlike the widespread perception that getting the tooth extracted is better than undergoing a root canal. Tooth extractions require anesthesia before the infected tooth is removed from your jawbone. Root canals require similar anesthesia to ensure you don’t have to undergo the tooth removal procedure.

Endodontists drill your tooth from the top of the crown or behind, depending on which tooth is infected, to expose the inflamed dental pulp. Using flexible instruments, the dentist eradicates the infection before cleaning and disinfecting the canals and sealing them with a temporary filling to prevent your saliva from infecting it.

You receive a recommendation from the specialist to have the treated tooth restored with a dental crown because removing the infected dental pulp renders the tooth fragile. After you have the tooth restored as suggested and recover, you can continue using the tooth like your remaining teeth for years.

Approximately 30 million root canals are performed annually in America, and many people report the therapy is no more discomforting than getting a dental filling. Therefore if you need treatment for an infected tooth with root canals, you can receive it without fear of pain because the specialist ensures you feel no discomfort when performing the treatment. In addition, they also recommend painkillers to manage discomfort after undergoing the treatment.

Burton Dentistry performs routine root canal procedures on many patients who frequent them with the symptoms described earlier. Therefore if you need similar treatment beyond office hours, kindly do not hesitate to contact this practice to receive a treatment that helps save your tooth from extraction.

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