Root Canal Dentist in Pflugerville, TX

Saving Teeth with Root Canal Treatment in Pflugerville, TX

The advances in modern dentistry are nothing short of amazing. Yet, your own natural teeth remain superior to any material or restoration available. That is why Dr. Sharma is committed to helping you keep your own teeth healthy and beautiful. Root canal therapy makes that possible in many cases of severe damage that would otherwise require extraction.

What is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is a common dental procedure used to treat infections or injuries inside a tooth. While teeth may seem like solid structures, they actually contain a soft inner core known as dental pulp. This pulp is made up of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue, all housed within a central space called the pulp chamber. Small channels known as root canals extend from this chamber down into the roots of the tooth.

When the pulp becomes infected or the nerve is damaged, often due to deep decay, trauma, or cracks, root canal therapy is needed to save the tooth. During the procedure, your dentist will first numb the area and then create a small opening in the tooth. Specialized instruments are used to remove the damaged pulp, after which the pulp chamber and root canals are cleaned, disinfected, and sealed with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha. Finally, the tooth is restored with a dental crown to protect and strengthen it.

Why It is Needed

Why would you need root canal treatment? The most common reasons are oral injury or untreated decay. The outermost layer on a tooth is enamel, which is ultra-hard, but also rather thin. A chip, cavity, or other damage to enamel can expose dentin, which is not as hard as enamel and decays more quickly. When a cavity erodes through the dentin, it exposes the pulp to harmful bacteria. Due to the enclosed nature of the pulp chamber, this infection won’t just “clear up.” Additionally, if the nerve is injured by a deep fracture or break, it will not heal.

The symptoms of pulp or nerve damage can vary, depending on the nature and severity of the problem. The most common signs that you might need a root canal procedure include:

Darkening of the tooth
Temperature sensitivity, often with lingering pain
Abscess or “pimple” on your gums
Soreness or inflammation of gum tissue around the tooth
Extreme pain when you bite down

Keep the Tooth, Lose the Pain

There is a myth that root canal treatment is painful. The opposite is true. Your tooth is completely numbed, so you shouldn’t feel anything more than a bit of pressure during the procedure. Furthermore, it relieves the pain and sensitivity associated with nerve damage. If you are nervous about the root canal procedure, sedation is available.