Root Canal Therapy is a Safe and Gentle Approach to Restoring Your Smile
Is an infected or injured tooth causing you distress? At Highland Dental Clinic in South Lakeland, Florida, our dedicated dental team offers state-of-the-art root canal therapy, also known as endodontic therapy, to alleviate your pain and save your tooth from being pulled out. Our dentist, Dr. Blanca Fernandez, applies the latest technology and gentle techniques to ensure you feel at ease throughout your treatment and do not experience the pain and discomfort that require root canal therapy again in the future!
What are some signs that I might need root canal therapy, or “endodontic” treatment, with Dr. Blanca Fernandez?
A natural tooth is composed of three layers: enamel, dentin, and pulp chamber. The pulp chamber houses the blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue that provide sensation and nourishment to your tooth. Unfortunately, issues such as decay, injuries, or even deep cracks can lead to bacterial infection in the pulp chamber, resulting in various symptoms such as:
- Severe pain/toothache
- Sensitivity to cold or hot food and beverages
- Discoloration of the tooth
- Swelling of the face or gums
- Pimple-like bump on your gums
- Persistent bad breath despite good oral hygiene
If these symptoms seem familiar, it is vital that you book an appointment with a root canal specialist or endodontic provider immediately. An infected tooth will not heal by itself, and the infection can become worse daily—potentially spreading to adjacent structures and causing permanent damage.
What happens during root canal therapy?
Our goal at Highland Dental Clinic is to preserve natural teeth whenever possible. Therefore, if you are showing symptoms pointing to a tooth infection, we will go the extra mile to keep your tooth intact whenever possible. One of the ways we protect smiles is through our efficient and painless root canal treatments.
Contrary to some assumptions about root canals, the procedure is swift and comfortable. We start by numbing your gums with an injectable anesthetic to ensure a pain-free experience from beginning to end. For those with dental anxiety, our oral sedation options can contribute to a calmer dental visit as well, putting you at ease from start to finish.
After ensuring your comfort, we create an access hole at the top of the tooth, which allows us to clean out the diseased dental pulp chamber and thoroughly sanitize the tooth. This eliminates all the bacteria in the mouth. We then safeguard your root canals with a rubber-like substance (gutta-percha) to obstruct future bacterial incursions.
Last but not least, we restore your tooth with a composite filling over the top to seal it. If the tooth appears considerably weakened, we reinforce it with a dental crown, leaving it looking and functioning as if it was never damaged!
Where can I find an endodontic provider in the South Lakeland area who can provide root canal therapy?
A root canal treatment can provide you with relief from a severe toothache, save your natural tooth from permanent extraction, and contribute positively to your overall health and well-being. If you are thinking that root canal therapy might be needed to address problems within your smile, we invite you to book an appointment with our team of professionals. Do not hesitate to contact Dr. Blanca Fernandez and her team at Highland Dental Clinic by dialing (863) 457-1954 to connect with our team.
