How a root canal from your dentists in Evans and Augusta, GA, can help your smile
If you have a painful tooth, it’s easy to think you might need a root canal, but how do you know? The truth is, you don’t always feel pain when you need a root canal—sometimes all you may notice is a tooth growing darker or grayer compared to the teeth next to it. Other times, you may have noticeable signs and symptoms, including dental pain.
Here at Summerville Dentistry, Dr. Scott Wingard and Dr. Caleb Morris offer a full range of dental services, including root canal therapy, to help you and your smile. With two convenient office locations in Evans and Augusta, GA, we're here to help with your dental needs. Read on to learn if you should pay one of our offices a visit for a root canal.
More about Root Canal Treatment
You will need a root canal when the innermost layer of your tooth, an area known as the pulp, becomes bruised or damaged. The pulp is where the nerves and blood supply to your tooth are located. When the pulp is damaged, your tooth becomes inflamed and infected, causing fluid and pressure to build up inside your tooth, and pain to permeate throughout the structure.
You may notice signs and symptoms, such as:
- Pain that continues after placement of a filling or crown
- Chronic throbbing, aching, or pressure
- Increasing pain when you consume foods/beverages that are hot, cold, or sugary
- Acute, stabbing pain when you bite down or chew
- A white or red bump appearing on your gums next to a tooth root
- Drainage including blood or pus coming from the bump on your gums
There are many causes of needing a root canal, with severe decay being one of the most common. Repeated grinding and clenching your teeth can also cause trauma and bruising to the pulp, An accident or injury to your jaws or face is another frequent reason why you might need a root canal.
During a root canal, the diseased and dying pulp tissue is removed and replaced with a sedative material which eliminates the fluid and pressure. After your painful symptoms are gone, the sedative material is removed and replaced with an inert material and the tooth is sealed up with a small filling.
Concerned? Give Us a Call
To learn more about root canal treatment and other dental services, call Dr. Scott Wingard and Dr. Caleb Morris of Summerville Dentistry today. Dial (706) 738-4723 for the Augusta office, or (706) 250-2998 for the Evans location.