Root Canal

A root canal can preserve your beautiful smile if you have an infection or obtain a tooth injury. At Advance Dental, with two locations in Houston, Texas, general dentist Bryan Chu, DDS, and his team specialize in root canal therapy. Root canal treatment takes one visit and prevents the need for an extraction. To request a root canal consultation, call the nearest office or book online today.

What is a root canal?

A root canal is an outpatient procedure that removes the pulp from the center of a tooth. The pulp contains soft tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. It helps you feel temperature sensations but isn’t necessary for the tooth’s survival. 

If a tooth’s pulp gets infected or it becomes inflamed, a root canal can stop the pain, prevent additional issues, and maintain your oral health. 

When is a root canal necessary?

At Advance Dental, the team uses root canal therapy to treat tooth pulp that’s infected or inflamed because of:

• Extensive dental work
• Knocked-out teeth
• An untreated cavity
• Chips, cracks, or other types of damage

If you have red and swollen gums or extremely sensitive teeth, make an appointment at Advance Dental right away.

What does a root canal involve?

At Advance Dental, getting a root canal takes a single visit. Your provider reviews your dental records, completes an oral exam, and takes a series of digital X-rays with the i-CAT™ cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) system to determine if you qualify for treatment. If you have inflamed or infected tooth pulp, they proceed with treatment.

Your provider administers a local anesthetic and uses handheld tools to remove the pulp from your tooth. Then, they clean the center of your tooth and fill it with gutta-percha. Your provider takes digital impressions with a Primescan® intraoral scanner and transfers them to the in-house CEREC® milling machine.

The CEREC milling machine creates a custom dental crown from a block of ceramic. About 45 minutes later, when your crown is ready, your provider bonds it on top of your treated tooth. They check your bite, provide recovery instructions, and explain how to care for your crown.

What is recovery like after a root canal?

After a root canal, take the rest of the day off from school or work. Avoid strenuous activity, drink lots of water, and take your medication as prescribed. 

When the anesthesia wears off, you might experience some mild swelling, bleeding, or increased sensitivity. Avoid biting down on your treated tooth for at least 24 hours. The team might also ask you to eat soft foods for a few days, like yogurt, applesauce, or bananas.

ll the nearest Advance Dental office to see if you can benefit from a root canal or book online today.