Hearing the words “root canal” can cause anxiety and fear for many dental patients. These infections often begin as small cavities on the exterior of the tooth. Left untreated, that small cavity can progress into the tooth’s nerve deep inside the jawbone. The infection often causes pain and a swollen jaw. Patients call the dentist’s office in a great deal of distress, looking for a fast appointment and quick therapy.

If you find yourself with pain in your tooth, jaw, or gums and think a root canal may be necessary, know that Dr. Brianne Luu of Gentle Care Dentistry in Duarte, CA, has the expertise and the experience to heal the infection and fix the tooth in the fastest manner possible. Additionally, she will treat you with respect and gentle care to make sure your fears are put to rest.

Dr. Luu’s first step to providing relief is to control the infection, often using antibiotics. Next, Dr. Luu and her team of dental professionals will open the top of the tooth to eliminate the infection that has made its way into the canal of the tooth, all the way to the root. Dr. Luu will work carefully and be sure to remove the infection from all areas of the tooth to ensure that the bacteria is eliminated and it cannot continue to grow and cause you further discomfort.

Finally, once the infection is cleaned, the tooth will be filled and sealed. The tooth needs to be filled because the process of cleaning out the tooth cuts off blood supply, leaving the tooth brittle and fragile. Filling the tooth and sealing it with a crown ensures that the tooth remains whole and protected. Patients should expect to lose feeling in the tooth as the root canal process removes the tooth’s nerve.

Dr. Luu will work quickly to fix the tooth and get the patient smiling again, however the time a person spends in her dental chair largely depends on the placement of the tooth. Front teeth only have a single root canal, whereas molars have three or four canals and take longer to clear out.

Root canals sound scary, but it’s important to note that the root canal process is not what causes pain to the patient. Dr. Luu will numb the area with local anesthesia while she works to clear the infection that caused the discomfort.

If you have a problem tooth, call Dr. Luu at Gentle Care Dentistry to schedule an appointment.

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