Treating root canals is precise and gentle in Augusta GA

Infected, cracked, or otherwise severely injured teeth can be extremely painful. The problem can also be alarming because no one wants to lose a natural tooth. Thankfully, there is a solution, available right here in Augusta, GA. Root canals (endodontic treatments) can save teeth, restore your oral health, and end the pain. This specialized procedure is the primary focus of our practice at Augusta Endodontic Center.

With more than 14 million root canal treatments performed annually, root canal treatment ranks among the most common procedures in dentistry. It is also one of the most benificial, because it preserves natural teeth and helps patients avoid replacements such as bridges or implants.

The benefits of root canal treatment from Augusta Endodontic Center

• Our providers are not only licensed dentists, but also certified endodontic specialists with extensive training and experience specific to this procedure
• Root canal treatment successfully saves natural teeth
• The success rate for this procedure is about 90 percent
• With local anesthetic, you should not feel pain during treatment
• Most patients can comfortably resume normal activities right away after treatment

What is root canal treatment?

In the middle of a tooth, there are blood vessels, nerves, and other soft tissues, collectively known as dental pulp. Chips, cracks, deep decay, and other tooth trauma can injure the pulp, or allow bacteria inside the tooth leaving it susceptible to infection. If this happens, your dentist will likely recommend root canal treatment, which is a non-surgical procedure to remove the diseased pulp.

We use local anesthetic to numb the treatment area and offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for added comfort. During the procedure, your endodontist will remove the pulp then clean and seal the root canal system. Depending on the circumstances, this may take one or more appointments.

How much does the procedure cost?

The total treatment cost will vary, depending on the exact procedures needed, the severity of damage, and other factors. However, in most cases endodontic treatment is considerably more economical than the cost of extraction and subsequent replacement with a dental implant or other artificial tooth.

Decayed or injured teeth? Keep smiling for life with root canal therapy!

No tooth replacement is as good as the natural tooth and this video explains how a decayed, diseased, or injured tooth can be saved with root canal treatment. Save your natural teeth and restore your smile: Call Augusta Endodontic Center at (706) 800-9118.

Video Transcript

Nothing looks, feels or functions like your natural teeth, and with the right care your smile can last a lifetime, but problems like decay disease or injury can threaten teeth and ruin smiles. Thanks to advances in treatment and technology, many teeth can be saved. One way a tooth can be saved is with a procedure called root canal treatment also known as endodontic treatment. Endodontics is a specialized area of dentistry focused on treating disease or injury to the dental pulp. Endodontists are dental specialists with advanced training in root canal treatment. They are experts in saving your natural teeth using state-of-the-art technologies like microscopes and digital imaging to treat you quickly and comfortably. Let’s take a step by step look at a modern root canal procedure. Here is a healthy tooth. Inside the tooth, under the white enamel, is a hard tissue called dentin. Inside the dentin is a soft tissue called pulp. The pulp contains the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. It extends from the crown of the tooth into the roots of your teeth. If the pulp becomes inflamed, or infected, your endodontist will remove it. Relieving your pain or discomfort. Here’s how root canal treatment works. First your endodontist will numb the tooth, so that you won’t feel anything during the procedure. A small shield isolates the tooth, keeping it dry and clean. An opening is made through the crown of the tooth and into the pulp chamber. Fluid is put in the canals to kill any bacteria and help rinse out debris. Then the pulp is removed. Using small instruments, the endodontist carefully cleans and shapes the canals. After the space is cleaned and shaped, the endodontist fills and seals the root canals. In most cases a temporary filling is placed to close the opening, until you see your dentist. After your endodontist is finished, you must return to your dentist, to have your tooth properly restored with a filling or crown. That protects the tooth and is important to ensure the success of your root canal treatment. A tooth that has had root canal treatment often lasts a lifetime. So, you keep smiling with confidence.

What happens after the procedure?

After the root canal procedure is complete, we will send the records to your dentist. The next step is restoring the tooth structure. This may be accomplished with a dental crown or other restoration, depending on your dentist’s recommendation. Within a few weeks of completing treatment at our office, you should contact your dentist to discuss restoration options.

Complications after root canal treatment or microsurgery are extremely rare. However, we are always available if a problem should arise. To prevent further decay, you should brush and floss regularly, as well as seeing your primary dentist for bi-annual checkups.

Signs you may need root canal treatment

The symptoms of injured or infected dental pulp include:

• Visible damage to the tooth
• Swelling around the tooth
• Sensitivity to hot or cold
• Constant or recurring tooth pain
• Pain in the gums
• Abscesses (infection pockets) around the tooth

If you have any of these symptoms, or if your dentist has recommended root canal treatment, please contact us at (706) 800-9118.