Root Canals: What NOT to fear!

I was sitting at home on a beautiful Sunday evening, biting into some chips and WHAM! A shooting pain that started from my tooth and went straight down my spine! The thought that this pain in my tooth might be the cause of a possible root canal downright scared me to death. Although I am in this field myself, when it came to the term “root canal” it sounded scary merely because of all the horror stories we have all heard with Dentists in Los Angeles.

So time had come for my visit and I must say I was quite nervous. The procedure started with local anesthesia (numbing the tooth). Once I was numb, I honestly didn’t feel a thing! I was surprised because I thought it was going to be very painful and as long as you are numb, you should be comfortable.

During a root canal treatment, the infected or inflamed nerve is removed. This infection or inflammation can be caused by deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, or trauma such as chips or cracks in the tooth. Once the nerve is removed, the inside of the tooth is disinfected and cleaned thoroughly, then filled with a rubber like material. Afterwards the tooth is restored with the proper crown or filling for protection.

This process didn’t take too long. Each case is different and will vary depending on the involvement of the tooth. However, rest-assure that it isn’t as horrific as an experience as you might think. It sure wasn’t for me. I must say I did have slight soreness in that tooth for couple of days, although it wasn’t anything a little Advil or Tylenol couldn’t fix!

So next time you have a strong pain in your tooth, don’t hesitate to call Studio City Dental Center here in Los Angeles and we will guide you in the right direction, even if it means referring you to an Endodontist for a root canal!

Amy-Dental Hygienist