Root Canal Therapy

Do you have a toothache? Our Houston, Texas based dentists may suggest root canal therapy. This treatment is designed to remove damaged or infected root tissue and restore the health of your tooth.

Dr. Lepow, Dr. Cavazos or Dr. Ling will diagnosis root canal therapy and how best to restore the tooth after treatment. Once the damaged or infected root pulp has been treated, the blood supply to the tooth is cut off, making the tooth brittle over time and puts the tooth at risk of breaking.

Most teeth require a build-up and crown to completely restore the tooth. In some instances, the tooth can be restored with a simple tooth colored filling. If you do find yourself in need of root canal therapy, this is not a service you want to wait on if you have infection. Infected root pulp is typically the result of dental decay that reaches past the outer protective layers of the tooth and causes the pulp to become irritated or destroyed by harmful bacteria. A tooth that has previously been root canalled can become reinfected and be quite dangerous as there is no root to indicate pain. Any type of dull soreness, red gums, foul smell or hot to the touch is an indicator to call you dentist ASAP!

The aim of root canal therapy is to save the life of the tooth. If the infection is allowed to go untreated, the root pulp, also known as the “nerves” of the tooth, may die and require the tooth to be extracted. This can cause other unnecessary dental issues, such as the surrounding teeth misaligning. If the tooth has an untreated abscess at the apex of the root, you can experience bone loss that will spread to other teeth and make them loose over time. The root canal itself is a simple procedure.

After ensuring that the tooth remains dry during treatment, our dentists will remove infected tissues from the tooth and then apply medication to prevent further damage and encourage healing. The tooth will then be sealed with a crown to preserve the integrity of the tooth for a comfortable, aesthetic and functional fit. Our dentists and team offer conscious sedation options if needed to help ensure your root canal experience is a positive one. To schedule and endo evaluation, give us a call today. We look forward to hearing from you.