If you’re like most people, just thinking about the idea of a root canal makes you cringe. The fear of root canals — a procedure during which your dentist removes diseased pulp from inside your tooth, fills the void and finishes by putting a crown on top of your tooth — is actually not in line with reality.
A modern root canal procedure is done using local anesthetic and is comfortable and not in the least bit agonizing.
Dr. Alistair Saeghi and the Modern Age Dentistry team want your experience with us to be stress-free, which is why we will always prepare you fully for any treatment, answer your questions, and treat you like a friend. If you come to Modern Age in need of a root canal procedure, we want you to feel at ease about your experience.
An American Association of Endodontists study found that 59% of people were more afraid of getting a root canal than of spiders, being trapped in an elevator, or speaking in public.
That’s quite a statement, but what’s more frightening is the pain that accompanies a badly decayed tooth. Going to your dentist to rectify the situation is the right thing to do, and the root canal procedure puts an end to your pain once and for all.
Dr. Saeghi will recommend a root canal if your tooth’s pulp (the soft matter that’s underneath your tooth’s hard layer of enamel) is:
Your pulp has blood vessels and nerves in it, so that’s why the pain is so bad when it gets infected. When damage to the pulp progresses to this severe stage, there’s no restoring it, but that’s OK, since your tooth doesn’t need it to nourish the tissue surrounding it once it's completely developed.
Instead, your dentist must remove the unhealthy pulp after making a tiny hole at the top of your tooth so he can access it, clean out the treated area, and clean it. He then fills it temporarily, until your crown arrives.This is all done after giving you local anesthesia, so you aren’t in pain while Dr. Saeghi treats you. And he doesn’t perform the procedure unless the need for it is confirmed by X-rays.
After this first appointment, you return to our office so Dr. Saeghi can place your crown. We’re sure you’ll agree — getting this done is much more preferable to letting the problem fester, which puts you at risk for worsening pain and an infection-fueled abscess.
The first impossible-to-ignore symptom that indicates the need for a root canal is severe pain that doesn’t abate. It may be continuous or come and go, and eating may become difficult. You might also notice that the area of your gums near the infected tooth is swollen and painful. This might even develop into a gum infection.
The most obvious root canal red flag is what we refer to as an acute tooth flare-up. This problem emerges when you:
Armed with knowledge about the root canal procedure, you can now say “RIP” to your tooth’s dead roots without the anxiety, should you ever need to have the procedure done. If you need a root canal, Dr. Saeghi will schedule an appointment for X-rays following your procedure as well, to ensure that every trace of infection is gone.
We’re here as much to educate you about procedures that might make you anxious as to perform them, so don’t hesitate to ask us questions or share how you’re feeling with us — there’s a lot we can do to make you comfortable during your visits with us!
Call the Modern Age Dentistry office that’s nearest you to schedule an appointment if you’re dealing with mouth pain that’s out of the ordinary, or book an appointment online. We have offices in Los Angeles, West Hills, and Ojai, California.
