Root Canal Specialist
-
- Tweet
Daniel B Mendoza & Associates
Dentist located in Redwood City, CA
Contrary to popular belief, having a root canal treatment performed is often a straightforward procedure. Similar to a routine filling, root canals help relieve dental pain while also saving the tooth giving you discomfort. If you need to have a root canal, call or make an appointment online today at the office of Dr. Daniel B. Mendoza in Redwood City, California.
Root Canal Q & A
What is a root canal?
A root canal is a procedure that Dr. Mendoza uses to remove infected pulp and save your teeth.
Underneath the enamel, you try to keep white, and the dentin that keeps your teeth hard is referred to as soft tissue. Referred to as pulp, this tissue contains the blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue that helped your tooth grow. Since your tooth is fully developed, and nourishment comes from surrounding tissue, your tooth can survive without the pulp.
Why do you need a root canal?
You can get infections in your teeth from a variety of factors. The most common include:
- Deep, often untreated cavities
- Disturbed tissue due to repeated dental procedures
- A broken tooth
- An injured tooth
If the infection gets left untreated, it spreads to the tissue surrounding the root of your affected tooth, which results in pain, swelling, and possibly an abscess inside your tooth. If the bacteria spreads far enough, it may result in damage to the bone that keeps your tooth connected to your jaw, which puts you at risk of completely losing your tooth.
How is a root canal performed?
Dr. Mendoza usually performs the following four-step root canal process over two office visits:
X-ray
X-rays show the exact location of your tooth decay. Therefore, to determine whether or not you need a root canal, Dr. Mendoza begins your first visit by taking and examining your X-rays.
Anesthesia
Before beginning your root canal, Dr. Mendoza applies local anesthesia to your affected tooth to make it so that your root canal doesn't feel any more painful than getting a filling.
Pulpectomy
Once the area feels numb, Dr. Mendoza creates an opening and removes the diseased tooth pulp.
Filling
Finally, your open roots get filled with a rubber-like material called gutta-percha and sealed off with a special cement. At an additional visit, your crown or other tooth restoration gets placed on your tooth to protect and restore it to full function.
If you need a root canal on a severely damaged or decaying tooth, or if one of your teeth has an infection, call or make an appointment online today with Dr. Mendoza in Redwood City, California.
