You will have undoubtedly heard of root canal therapy and may well be under the impression that it is a horrendously painful and debilitating experience. While this reputation may have been deserved once upon a time, today, root canal therapy is extremely common, fairly straightforward and causes no more discomfort than any other type of dental treatment.
​​​​​​​
If you have an infection in your tooth that requires root canal therapy, look no further than the team here at Dr. Sam’s Premier Dentistry in Sherman, TX. We have the endodontic experience and commitment to care that enables us to deliver outstanding dental treatments time after time.

What is Root Canal Therapy?

It may surprise you to learn that teeth are actually comprised of three different layers, each getting a little softer as you work inwards. The enamel, which is fairly robust, is on the outer layer. The middle layer is called dentin, and the innermost is referred to as the pulp. Each area of pulp contains long thin channels called root canals. These supply the tooth with blood, nutrients and even nerves. However, when infection penetrates the pulpit can quickly move to the root canal system and cause it to become diseased. If this happens, the necessary blood and nutrients cannot be delivered, and the tooth will die.

Unfortunately, antibiotics are ineffective at treating root canal infections. The only way of saving the affected tooth is by using root canal therapy.

Root canal therapy is a type of treatment that falls under the specialism of endodontics in dentistry. Endodontic procedures refer to those treatments which involve the pulp part of the tooth. Root canal therapy focuses on treating infections that lie within this pulp.

Signs That You Might Need Root Canal Therapy

There are a variety of symptoms that might suggest that you are suffering from an infection in your root canal and may require treatment. These include:

- Sensitivity to particularly hot/cold food

- Pain when biting down or chewing

- Swelling of your face and jaw

- Swelling in the gum around the infected tooth

- Oozing or pus from the affected tooth

- Darkening of the affected tooth. This usually happens when the infection has progressed significantly and the flow of blood to the tooth has been compromised.

What Happens During Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is a lot more straightforward than most people expect. It will be performed while you are under the effects of a local anesthetic, although it may be possible for you to have some sedation if you are particularly anxious or worried. We will drill down into your tooth to expose your root canal where special endodontic tools will be used to clear away all the infected soft tissue. Once we are satisfied that all of the infection has been removed, a temporary cavity filling or crown will be placed over the tooth and you will be allowed home.

Around a week later you will need to come back into our offices so that we can remove the temporary cover and check that there has been no re-infection of the root canal. If there has, the process must be repeated again. If the root canals are clear, a permanent filling or crown can be used to seal the tooth and the treatment concludes. Again, this second appointment is carried out using anesthetic and possible sedation.

If you are concerned that you may have an infection in your root canal, or you are experiencing dental pain and you would like to arrange an appointment for one of our skilled dentists to assess your teeth, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We have extensive experience in delivering a wide range of functional and cosmetic services, including root canal therapy, at our dental offices in Sherman, TX. Call us on 903-708-6400 and let us help you to preserve your smile.