Root Canal Treatment
East Dundee, IL
Root Canal Treatment provided by Dr. Gregory M. Neu, DDS
in East Dundee, IL at Neu Family Dental
 Root canal procedures are effective in treating a wide range of oral diseases.
At Neu Family Dental, we take advantage of the latest technology to make root canal procedures as comfortable as possible.
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is an advanced dental procedure that removes infected pulp or soft tissue from within the roots of an infected tooth. This explains where the root canal procedure got its name — the root canal is part of the treated area.
The dental pulp contains connective blood vessels, nerves, tissues, and cells. Any infection sustained by the pulp inside your teeth causes extreme pain due to pressure and sensitivity.
This makes chewing and biting highly uncomfortable; you might not be able to chew or drink anything at all. However, our team will help fix the situation by performing a root canal procedure.
How Do You Know if You Need a Root Canal?
Like any other oral condition, root canals have unique symptoms that will show you need a root canal procedure. If you notice any of these symptoms, you must come in for treatment as soon as possible.
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Tooth Sensitivity - If you experience sharp pain when you eat or drink something hot or cold, it could be a sign that the nerves and vessels in your tooth pulp are damaged. In that case, you will need a root canal procedure to fix the situation as soon as possible.
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Persistent Pain - Infection in your tooth pulp causes persistent pain. You will experience pain deep in your tooth and have difficulties using it to chew food. You might also feel significant pain in your jaw, face, or surrounding teeth. While most of the pain caused by root canal infection remains persistent, it might go away from time to time.
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Swollen Gums - You might develop swollen gums around the area of the infected tooth. Any signs of swollen gums mean you need a root canal. Even though the swelling may come and go by itself, it clearly signals that you need treatment. The affected gums might be tender or painful to the touch.
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Tooth Discoloration - You will also know you need a root canal procedure if you get tooth discoloration. An infection in your tooth pulp makes the tooth discolored. Besides this, aggressive trauma in the internal tissues of your tooth can make the tooth look grayish-black. This is a sign that you need a root canal. |
How is a Root Canal Done?
A root canal procedure is done in several steps. Before we start the procedure, we will take an x-ray of the infected tooth.
This is crucial because it helps us determine the extent of the damage done to the tooth. An x-ray also helps us decide whether a root canal procedure is the ideal treatment option.
Then, after applying local anesthesia, we will make an opening in the crown of the infected tooth. Our team uses extremely small instruments to clean the pulp from the root canals and pulp chamber.
During the cleaning, we also shape the space for filling.
After successfully cleaning and shaping the infected tooth, we will fill the root canal with a biocompatible material. In most cases, we use a rubber-like material known as gutta-percha.
We place the gutta-percha with an adhesive cement to ensure that the root canals are completely sealed. We also place a temporary filling to seal the opening on your tooth crown.
Our team will carefully remove the temporary filling before we restore the tooth. This process is done with extremely high precision to ensure accuracy.
How Long Does a Root Canal Take?
A root canal procedure can take one or two appointments depending on the amount of damage to your tooth.
Generally, it takes about 30 to 60 minutes to complete a root canal procedure. If the procedure is being performed on a tooth with several roots, the time increases to around one and a half hours.
It is essential to note that this is only the procedure and the timeframe doesn't include healing. It might take a few weeks to heal from a root canal procedure completely. You are encouraged to take good care of your teeth after a root canal procedure for quicker healing.
Do Root Canals Hurt?
Contrary to what most people believe, root canal procedures are not painful. This is because we use a local anesthetic that keeps the area numb.
With the source of your pain being removed, you will feel immediate relief right after the procedure. Therefore, you don't have to worry about great discomfort during a root canal procedure. Any discomfort after the procedure can also be managed.
How Long Does a Root Canal Take to Heal?
A root canal procedure takes less than a week to recover from. During the first few days, you might experience mild discomfort that you can manage with medication. Contact us immediately if the discomfort or pain doesn't disappear after a week.
What Are the Benefits of a Root Canal?
There are several benefits of a root canal procedure.Some of them include:
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Prevents tooth loss: A root canal procedure helps prevent tooth loss by fixing severe oral defects. The spread of harmful bacteria could be dangerous, and a root canal procedure helps fix it.
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Makes your teeth look better: Thanks to a root canal procedure, your teeth will have better aesthetics.
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Prevents jaw disintegration: The root canal procedure retains the tooth structure, which keeps the jawbone in position. |
For More Information and to Schedule An Appointment!
Do you need a root canal procedure? Our experts at Neu Family Dental are ready to help you attain good oral health by performing advanced root canal procedures.
We take advantage of new technology to make the process as smooth as possible. Call us today at (847) 230-9143 to schedule an appointment. |
