Root Canal Therapy: Your Best Friend for Tooth Pain Relief
Like many people, you probably have a bad image of root canals. However, the truth is that root canal procedures are surprisingly comfortable and beneficial. Swanson Family Dental combines gentle techniques with powerful anesthetics to ensure your treatment is nearly painless. Please schedule an appointment with our Ames or Perry, Iowa team to discover our gentle approach to endodontic treatments.
Do I need a root canal?
Your teeth have several layers. The outermost layer (enamel) is the hardest substance in your body. Its primary role is to shield the inner parts of the tooth from damage and infection. Unfortunately, the enamel can be breached by decay, damage, and repeated dental work. When this happens, harmful bacteria infiltrate the nerve-containing pulp chamber, causing infection.
An infected tooth causes numerous undesirable symptoms, including:
- Persistent tooth sensitivity, especially after consuming hot and cold drinks
- Swollen gums
- A resilient toothache that worsens when you bite into something
- Tooth discoloration
- A pimple-like swelling near the affected tooth
- Persistent mouth odor
Sometimes, a root canal may be necessary even if you don’t experience any symptoms. This can happen with mild infections that go unnoticed or advanced infections where the pulp chamber has died (pulp necrosis). Routine dental exams can help detect the need for root canal therapy before it’s too late.
What does the treatment involve?
You’ll be surprised with how smooth your treatment will be. The dentist begins by examining your tooth with dental x-rays. We want to establish that your tooth is viable for a root canal. If so, we’ll numb your gums with local anesthetics to ensure you don’t feel pain during treatment. Sedation dentistry is also available for patients anxious about the procedure.
Once you are comfortable, the dentist will make a small hole in your tooth and use it to flush out the infected tissues. Next, the dentist will thoroughly clean your tooth to remove harmful bacteria. Then, we’ll seal your tooth with gutta-percha, a biocompatible rubber-like material. We’ll close the access hole with a tooth filling as you wait for a crown. Your procedure takes 30-60 minutes, and only one visit is needed. However, complicated cases may require 2-3 visits.
After treatment, you may experience mild pain and swelling. Don’t worry—we’ll provide detailed aftercare instructions to support a smooth recovery. These guidelines will cover pain management, dietary recommendations, and proper oral hygiene practices. Follow our advice, and you can expect to recover fully within a few days.
Is a root canal better than a dental extraction?
When you are in pain, tooth removal may seem like the logical decision. Unless your tooth is irreparably damaged, we try everything to save it. Dental extraction resolves pain and infection but leaves a gap that can cause long-term oral health complications. A root canal treats and saves the natural tooth, preserving oral function, aesthetics, and confidence. Root canal therapy also saves you from expensive teeth replacements.
Do you need root canal therapy?
Swanson Family Dental offers painless root canals to save infected and damaged teeth. If you need endodontic services, you can trust our team for expert services. Call (515) 233-2174 (Ames) or (515) 465-5170 (Perry) to schedule an appointment.
