Virginia Dental Care

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703-276-1010 Located 2 blocks from Ballston METRO STATION

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Open MON - FRI From 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Root Canal Surgery

What is a Root Canal?

A root canal, also known as endodontic therapy, is a dental procedure used to treat and save a tooth that has a damaged, infected, or inflamed pulp—the innermost soft tissue of the tooth. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue, and when it becomes compromised, it can lead to severe pain, swelling, and potential tooth loss if left untreated.

Why is root canal treatment essential?

A root canal infection does not go away on its own. Painkillers or anti-inflammatories also have no effect. Once the tissue is inflamed, it will not heal. The tooth tissue will die if you do not perform a root canal treatment. The inflammation can spread to the jaw bone. If the inflammation enters the jawbone, you can lose teeth. That is why infected root canal treatment is essential.

 

What alternatives are there?

The first alternative is endodontics, when a tooth causes pain and/or infection. Still, suppose the tooth is severely destroyed or has a poor prognosis, or the treatment is not wanted. In that case, the next alternative is extraction since maintaining a tooth infected in the mouth is a risk to general health. If a said tooth is extracted, restorative alternatives such as implants, bridges and prostheses will be valued, but the idea is to keep our tooth.

What care do I need?

The root canalized tooth will always require a restorative treatment, whether a filling or a crown (cover). As it does not have a nerve, since it has been removed, if there is a problem in the tooth, it will not warn pain with the usual mechanism, so periodic check-ups must be carried out, maintaining good hygiene and not subjecting the tooth to loads extreme (nuts, crunchy) since it can be fractured more easily.

Root Canal Treatment

A crown and one or more roots make up each of your teeth. The tooth is held firmly in your mouth by its roots as well as its visible crown. A canal can be found in each root canal of a tooth. Small blood vessels and nerve fibers can be found in the root canal. When the tissue in your tooth is inflamed, you need a root canal specialist for treatment because inflamed tooth tissue can no longer be cured. At Virginia Dental Care our experienced dentists use the most up-to-date methods and tools to do root canal treatment.

1. Local Anesthesia

Local anesthesia is used throughout the procedure. Your healthcare provider has experience giving anesthesia. Anaesthesia is not necessarily required if the infection-caused death of the root canal's nerve has been complete.

2. Rubber Dam

A rubber dam is first set up so that the process can run as smoothly and effectively as feasible. The tooth is shielded from the rest of the mouth cavity by this rubber patch. After that, the dentist drills a hole in the tooth to access the canal system.

3. Drilling

Drilling is used to accessing the root canals through the dental cavity. By hand or with a rotary file, the contents of the canals are taken out and the channels are slightly widened. The root canals are cleaned with a rinse agent during filing.

4. Disinfectant Rinse

It is vital to provide room for rinse aid disinfection. Our dentist next inserts filler material into the opening in the root canal. By closing the channel in this way, you make it less likely that your mouth will get inflamed again.

People fear root canals. It’s understandable, but it’s unnecessary. We have experienced dentists who will make sure you are comfortable throughout the treatment. Local anesthesia is used for root canals. So you shouldn’t feel pain during the whole treatment. Your practitioner can explain the treatment step-by-step if you prefer. We also offer sedation options if you prefer.