When Is a Root Canal Needed?

When Is a Root Canal Needed?

A root canal is one of today's most reliable restorative procedures. If you have an abscessed, broken, or extensively decayed tooth, Dr. Steve Yi, your dentist at El Paso Viva Dental in El Paso, TX, may recommend a root canal. Here are the details.

Root canals are common and uncommonly good

All together, dentists perform about 25 million root canal treatments annually, says the American Association of Endodontists. What is a root canal? This two-visit procedure removes inflamed soft pulp from inside a tooth's central chamber and the narrow passageways coursing down each root.

When exposed to bacteria, the nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue inside a tooth become infected, causing the pain and inflammation associated with a dental abscess. Decay, injury and multiple dental procedures endanger the function and longevity of the tooth, leaving your dentist in El Paso,TX, with two options:

  • Extraction
  • Root canal therapy

Also called endodontic treatment, root canal therapy heals both the health and structure of the tooth. Dr.Yi cleans and disinfects the root canals, seals each one with elastic gutta-percha and covers the tooth with a temporary crown. After a short period of healing, you return to El Paso Viva Dental for the placement of a realistic and durable porcelain crown.

For decades, dentists and endodontists have used root canal therapy to save countless teeth. In fact, the American Dental Association (ADA) continues to call it the "standard of care" whenever possible for teeth that are damaged and dying.

Signs you need a root canal

Dr. Yi will confirm the need for root canal therapy with a complete oral examination and digital X-ray imaging. Also, he looks for signs and symptoms such as:

  • Throbbing toothache
  • Reddened, swollen, tender gums
  • Pimples or sores on the gums near the painful tooth
  • A noticeable crack and/or darkened tooth enamel
  • Drainage
  • Bad breath
  • Sensitivity to heat, cold or pressure

Fortunately, root canal therapy resolves these symptoms, and patients feel better quickly. The procedure is comfortable, with local anesthetic numbing the area surrounding the tooth. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the tooth was infected.

Find out more

Get the help you need for your sick tooth. Contact Dr. Steve Yi at El Paso Viva Dental for a root canal consultation. Phone us at (915) 751-1007.

Office Hours
Monday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday:8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday:Closed
Sunday:Closed

Contact Us

El Paso Viva Dental

El Paso, TX Dentist
El Paso Viva Dental
9584 Dyer St Suite B-1
El Paso, TX 79924
(915) 751-1007
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