Root Canals

To understand a root canal, you first must understand the way your tooth is built.  Many people think that a tooth is essentially a solid piece of bone protruding from their gum line.  This is not true!  The tooth has a hard exterior—the enamel—followed by a softer layer of tissue—called dentin—and then a soft mass of tissue—the pulp—at the very core of the tooth.

The pulp is filled with nerve endings, blood vessels, and so on, just as other soft tissue in the body.  This is why you can feel pain in a tooth that has been damaged.

Sometimes the tooth develops an infection in the pulp, or even an area of dead pulp inside the tooth.  Left untreated, this infection can have a number of unpleasant results, including the loss of the tooth.  To prevent this from happening, it is sometimes necessary to have a root canal done.

When you come to Mabry Dental Care for root canal therapy, we will first anesthetize the area for your comfort.  Then, we will drill through a small area of your enamel and dentin, until we are able to access the infected or dead pulp tissue. 

Using a special tool, we will remove the infected or dead pulp.  Then, we will fill in the area with a special compound designed to preserve the tooth.  Finally, we will seal the hole in your enamel just as we would if you were getting a filling.

Root canals have gotten a bad reputation.  The fact of the matter is, a properly performed root canal will cause no more pain than getting a filling.  It takes a little longer, and is more detailed, but it is just as safe and easy.

For more information, please contact us!  (321) 254-6322