Root Canals

Mature teeth, known as permanent teeth, are meant to remain inside the mouth permanently. These teeth are there to provide a full, complete smile that is both attractive and supportive of the jaw bone. While teeth are made up of tooth enamel, which is the hardest substance in the human body, they are not invincible. Trauma and injury can occur during an accident or sporting event or decay and infection can occur, causing a tooth to become vulnerable. Teeth are living substances in the body, and if their health is compromised, root canal therapy is often needed to save the tooth.

Many people have a sense of fear or dread when they hear the term “root canal” because they mistakenly believe that root canals are painful. What you truly need to understand is that root canal therapy is not painful – infected teeth are painful! Root canals are meant to take your pain away and to restore the health of your tooth and entire mouth. An infected tooth in extremely painful because the infection will affect the inner layers of the tooth where the nerves and living tissues reside. If an infection is left untreated, the pain will become unbearable and the damage will be so severe that your tooth cannot be saved.

At Green Dental of Alexandria, we go to great lengths to ensure that patient comfort is a top priority during any type of dental procedure. Root canal therapy is done under local anesthesia, and our practice is proud to offer Nitrous Oxide and oral conscious sedative medications for those patients who need extra help relaxing before and during a root canal. The procedure involves opening the tooth, removing the damaged pulp, cleaning out the infection, treating the tooth with antibiotics, and sealing the tooth to protect it against further damage.

At Green Dental of Alexandria, Dr. Hye Y. Park is here to ensure that your mouth stays as healthy as possible. We understand that any type of dental work can be stressful, but we also understand that root canals need not to be a dreaded procedure. If you have a tooth that is infected or painful in any way, please contact us today so that we can alleviate your pain and restore your oral health.