The Finest Root Canals Offered By Dentists in Dalton GA

What is a Root Canal?

A tooth is made up of a hard outer layer called enamel; tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. As we know, however, enamel is susceptible to decay, and teeth are sometimes injured due to a fall or car accident.

Just underneath tooth enamel is another layer, dentin. Dentin is made up of many tubes that are the receptors for sensitivity and pain to the tooth nerve, which lies beneath the dentin, enclosed in the pulp chamber.

The tooth pulp is made of up soft, fibrous tissue and contains blood vessels and the tooth nerve. It extends from the pulp chamber through the roots of the tooth and into the jaw bone.

When tooth decay reaches the dentin, sensitivity and pain is transmitted through the pulp chamber. Bacteria can find their way into the pulp chamber and cause infection. This usually results in throbbing toothache symptoms (the kind that keep you up all night). The infection may cause swelling and a tooth abscess.

• When most people talk about problems with root canals, this is the part they remember the most, and why root canals are commonly associated with pain. The pain is the result of the infection that occurs just prior to the root canal, not the treatment itself.

Treatment Steps of a Root Canal:

A root canal procedure is performed to remove the infected nerve and pulp tissue from the inside of the tooth and the tooth roots.

• After your dentist makes the area comfortable with dental anesthetic, he will make a small opening through the crown of the tooth to access the infected nerve.
• Our practice is equipped with Waterlase Dentistry™ which is clinically proven to destroy harmful bacteria that cause tooth infection. After opening the tooth, Dr. Patterson and Dr. Hughes use the dental laser to clean and disinfect the inside surfaces and roots to prepare it for the root canal filling procedure.
• After the tooth is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, the inside of the tooth and the root canals are sealed with a medicated material. The tooth is then restored with a dental crown to help protect it from further damage.

Root canal therapy appointment time can vary; it usually takes about an hour for the root canal procedure, followed by a second appointment for the dental crown. The dentist might complete the root canal in two visits, depending on the level of infection and type of tooth being treated. (Molars have 3-4 roots and take longer to treat than a front tooth, which generally has 1 root).

For the patient, root canal treatment is about the same experience as having a dental filling. If you need a root canal, we will make sure you are comfortable throughout the procedure. We also have Nitrous Oxide Sedation (laughing gas) available; nitrous oxide is inhaled through a nose mask for a mildly relaxing effect during dental treatment.

3D CBCT Dental Technology

Dr. Patterson and Dr. Hughes use CBCT (Cone Beam Tomography) radiographic imaging to evaluate the tooth to determine the location and length of the tooth roots during the root canal procedure. CBCT provides a 3-dimensional image that allows the dentists to view the tooth structure from all angles.

Learn more about Digital Dentistry at our Dalton dental practice.

Referral to a Root Canal Specialist

In some cases, Dr. Patterson and Dr. Hughes may recommend that the root canal procedure be performed by a dental specialist, or endodontist. The endodontist will work closely with our doctors to facilitate treatment; after the root canal is completed, the patient returns to our practice for a permanent dental crown.