Root canals are often a necessary part of protecting your smile. In some situations, a root canal is the only alternative to complete extracting a tooth in order to prevent the spread of damage. Understanding the root canal process will often help you to minimize any anxiety you may have. Root canals can be extremely beneficial to protecting the health of your smile. Here is what happens during root canals.

Endodontic Services

The term “endodontic” comes from Greek bases. In Greek, “endo” means inside, while “odont” means tooth. Endodontic services, therefore, are services that target the inside of the tooth. Root canal therapy is a particular type of endodontic service that is used to remove damaged pulp from the inside of a tooth.

What Happens During Root Canals

The root canal process can often be broken down into 6 steps. The first step involves ensuring that the area is thoroughly numbed to prevent discomfort during the rest of the process. During the second step, your dentist drills a tiny hole in the tooth to obtain access to the interior of the tooth. Once they have done this, the third step is to remove the infected pulp and material from the interior of the tooth. The fourth step involves thoroughly disinfecting and cleaning the area to remove any debris or bacteria. After this, your dentist’s fifth step will be to fill and seal the hole in order to prevent it from becoming vulnerable to further damage. The sixth step is restoration, where your dentist will decide to use either a filling or crown to protect the tooth.

There isn’t much downtime after having a root canal. You can expect to be numb for a few hours after your root canal, but most people are able to return immediately to their regular activities and operations. You may need to wait to eat or drink until the numbness has worn off.

Is it Time for a Root Canal?

Understanding the signs that it is time for a root canal will help to ensure that you are able to obtain the ideal services to meet your oral health needs. Many of these signs indicate various oral health problems that need to be resolved by visiting a professional. If you notice pimples have appeared on the gums, the gums have become tender or swollen, or visible decay, you should schedule a visit with your dentist. Additional signs that it is time for a root canal include experiencing significant pain whenever placing pressure on the teeth, extreme discomfort or sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, and teeth that have become chipped or cracked.

The Purpose of a Root Canal

A root canal is a great solution for saving a damaged tooth without requiring it to be extracted. When you have an infected tooth, it may be important to get a root canal to remove all infected material from the tooth. This helps to stop the spread of damage without requiring you to sacrifice the tooth.

The Major Benefits of Root Canals

There are many benefits to having root canals as opposed to extracting your teeth. Root canals enable you to maintain the most natural appearance possible for your smile. It also helps to ensure that you can continue to chew normally, while experiencing the same kind of sensation.

Root canals can provide an array of benefits to your oral health. When you have a root canal, it is often ideal to have the procedure performed by an experienced endodontist. At David G. Johnson, DDS, you can be confident that we are up to the task of performing ideal root canals to protect the health of your smile. To learn more about what will happen with your root canal, as well as how to identify if you need a root canal, contact us at David G. Johnson, DDS today!

Many of us have experienced the unpleasant traditional strategies for taking images of the mouth. These processes generally only provide 2D visuals, which can make it more difficult to obtain accurate treatment. Due to the issues with traditional methods, our office at David G. Johnson DDS implements 3D imaging with our CDCT system. Here are a few of the advantages that come with using 3D imaging for your teeth!

More Comfort

3D imaging is a much more comfortable approach to dental work than prior approaches. As technology advances, endodontic services improve in comfort as well. You don’t have to dread your upcoming appointment with us out of fear of an uncomfortable process. We strive to provide all of the ideal services to make your time with us as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Less Time

This process is much faster than the alternatives. Your appointment can be completed more quickly and efficiently through the use of 3D imaging. The faster your imaging process can be completed, the less time you will have to wait around in the office. This is just one of the benefits of 3D imaging for your teeth.

Better Accuracy

3D imaging tends to be much more accurate than other processes. This ensures that the condition of your oral health can be accurately identified, and obscure issues can be uncovered. This enhanced accuracy can provide an extra level of protection for your oral health.

Improved Treatment

When your endodontist can obtain more accurate information, you will be able to receive better treatment. We strive to provide our patients with the best possible treatment. Our 3D imaging technology enables us to provide better treatment that is accurately targeted to meet all of your specific needs.

Non-Invasive Process

3D imaging is non-invasive. It won’t cause discomfort or pain. This fast, easy process ensures an accurate outcome to benefit your smile. When you work with our experts at David G. Johnson DDDS, you will be able to obtain all of these benefits to meet all of your specific needs.

3D imaging is a far more comfortable process that can be completed more quickly and helps to provide more accuracy. When you receive endodontic services, it is extremely beneficial to ensure that you work with a professional that takes advantage of 3D imaging. For more information about the advantages of our CDCT or how the process works, contact us at David G. Johnson DDS today!

It is useful to ensure that you understand the various steps that you can take to repair cracked teeth after they occur. At David G. Johnson, we can help you to restore your cracked teeth and protect the health of your smile. Preventing cracked teeth in the first place is often the best strategy for protecting your oral health. There are several steps that you can take to help accomplish this. Here are a few of our top tips for preventing cracked or chipped teeth.

Watch What you Eat

The food that you eat can easily lead to cracked teeth. Chewing on ice or biting on hard foods can lead to cracked or chipped teeth. Take care when you eat these hard foods, so that you avoid damage to the tooth. For example, biting down on a candy cane can cause damage to the teeth. It is also important to consider the role that your food plays in your oral health. Excessive sugar consumption can cause tooth decay, which can make it much easier to have teeth that crack or chip. Dairy products that contain calcium, however, can help to strengthen the teeth and make them less susceptible to damage.

Care for your Teeth

Keeping your teeth healthy and in good condition is essential in preventing damage to your smile. There are many ways that you can ensure that your teeth stay as healthy and strong as possible. Mouthwash that contains fluoride can help to provide significant strength to your teeth, which makes them more vulnerable to damage. It is also important to ensure that you follow a good oral hygiene routine and visit your dentist on a regular basis.

Treat Bruxism

If you consistently grind your teeth, either during the day or while you sleep, this condition will cause the teeth to wear down and weaken. This can cause them to be far more vulnerable to cracking. There are several steps that you can take to resolve this. You can ensure that you practice healthy stress management strategies and focus on not clenching your jaw throughout the day. It is also beneficial to wear a mouth guard at night if you find that you grind your teeth during the evening.

Wear Mouthguards During Sports

Trauma injuries can easily cause cracked teeth. These injuries become much more common when you participate in contact sports. By using the appropriate protection, you can help to protect your teeth and limit damage. This can help you to prevent chipping, cracks, and additional damage to your smile. This is also an important step for individuals with braces, as trauma to the face can cause a substantial amount of damage to the interior of the mouth.

Don’t Use your Teeth as a Tool

Many people turn to their teeth when scissors aren’t readily available. This causes a substantial amount of wear on your teeth. Your teeth should only ever be used for chewing your food. Don’t use your teeth to hold objects or in lieu of scissors. Your teeth are not a tool for anything aside from eating. Keeping this in mind can help you to prevent damage to the teeth.

Pay Attention to Sensitivity

If you are experiencing sensitivity, it is highly likely that there are already issues present with your smile. Simply ignoring these issues often enables them to escalate. This can cause your teeth to be more susceptible to damage, such as cracked teeth. When you obtain treatment early on, you can restore the health of your teeth more quickly and limit damage to your smile. Sensitivity, particularly to hot or cold temperatures, can easily indicate that your teeth have an underlying issue that should be examined and repaired.  

When you have experienced cracked teeth, it will be important to receive the appropriate services to eliminate any escalation of damage to your smile. We can help you to restore the condition of your teeth and maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. Our cracked teeth services can help to restore your oral health and your smile’s appearance. For more information about repairing your cracked teeth or protecting the overall health of your teeth, contact us at David G. Johnson today!