Is a Root Canal a Dental Emergency?

A tooth infection can present with a lot of discomfort that makes it almost impossible to live your normal, day-to-day life. From the pain to the swelling, and even high sensitivity to heat and cold, a tooth infection often needs immediate treatment.

This is why in most cases, a root canal is considered an emergency dental procedure. It's necessary to treat a badly infected tooth and help people get rid of the bothering symptoms.

If you suspect you may need a root canal, please call us at (424) 400-5288 to get emergency dental services, or keep reading to find out more about this procedure and how it works.

What Does a Root Canal Look Like?

The words "root canal" can be anxiety-inducing for a lot of people, but you should know that thanks to modern dentistry, the procedure is usually not that different from a regular filling. Essentially, during a root canal the dentist will clean the inside of the tooth to remove all the infected tissue, and then add a filling to restore the integrity and structure of the tooth.

The reason we don’t consider it a regular filling is that because your tooth is infected, the bacteria has likely spread throughout the tooth, right down to the root area. The dentist will need to remove all traces of infected tissue from the pulp, nerves, and even the root of your teeth to properly treat it.

In most cases, the procedure can be done in one or two sessions, but it depends on how infected the tooth is.

Does a Root Canal Hurt?

The dentist will apply a local anesthetic to ensure you do not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure. Without anesthesia, yes, the procedure can be quite unpleasant!

Sometimes, the infection might prevent the anesthetic from taking effect, in which case the dentist will apply an antibiotic agent inside the tooth and seal it. The procedure will continue at a later time after the antibiotic agent works to fight the infection.

Can a Root Canal Save the Natural Tooth?

In many cases yes, getting a root canal will help protect the natural tooth. But in some cases, if there is a lot of infected tissue that needs to be removed, there may not be enough natural tooth left to reconstruct with a dental filling.

In these cases, you’ll most likely need to get a dental crown that will go over the natural tooth. Sometimes, tooth infections might also require extraction, but these cases are rather extreme.

Think You Might Need a Root Canal? ARTSCI Dental Can Help

If you think your tooth might be infected and in need of a root canal, ARTSCI dental is here to help.

Book a regular appointment with Dr. Anthony Nguyen online, or call our office directly at (424) 400-5288 for emergency dental health services!