ToothacheTooth pain and sensitivity, though common enough, is not normal. It frequently signals infection or decay and requires investigation by your dentist, Dr. Orson Baek. At Smart Family Dental Care in Norcross, Dr. Baek salvages many failing teeth and relieves those abnormal symptoms with precise and painless root canal therapy. This predictable service could help you keep a beautiful, healthy smile for life.

What is root canal therapy?

It's a dental procedure named for the pulp-filled chambers inside each tooth root. Front teeth typically have one or two roots and associated canals. Large molars at the back of the mouth may have three or four.

In any case, your dentist restores an infected, heavily decayed or traumatized tooth by removing this vascularized and innervated pulp, medicating the infection, and sealing and capping the tooth. This tissue, because of the infection, typically is dead or dying and is no longer useful to the adult tooth, says the National Institutes of Health.

A root canal only takes two one-hour appointments at Smart Family Dental Care. Performed with local anesthetic for maximum comfort, the treatment renders the canals clean, smooth and disinfected. Also, the dentist uses gutta-percha, an inert putty, to fill and support the canals, and a temporary crown covers the tooth as it heals.

Finally, at the last appointment, Dr. Baek replaces the temporary restoration with a porcelain crown which faithfully mimics natural oral function and realistic smile aesthetics. In other words, your tooth will look and act as Nature intended. The American Association of Endodontists says research documents exceptional longevity for most teeth restored with root canal therapy.

What about you?

Your dentist in Norcross can tell you for sure if you need a root canal. Some signs that your tooth is in trouble include:

  • Weakened tooth structure due to oral trauma, congenital defect or multiple fillings
  • Pain with biting, chewing, or application of heat and cold
  • Throbbing toothache
  • Bad breath unrelieved with brushing or mouth wash
  • Sore, red gums, sometimes with bumps or pimples near the affected tooth
  • Foul-tasting drainage
  • Pus at the gum line

However, some patients have teeth that are in danger of extraction but have no symptoms at all. That's why your routine, six-month check-ups and cleanings at Smart Family Dental Care are so important. Dr. Baek and his professional team can detect dangerous signs of oral health problems that you may not be aware of.

Keep all your teeth

You can with good preventive dentistry and precise restorative care from your friends at Smart Family Dental Care. Root canal therapy is just one of their many state-of-the-art treatments. Call the office in Norcross, GA, today if you have a concern about a particular tooth or if it's time for your semi-annual visit at (770) 446-5700.