Root Canal or RCT is an aspect of endodontics that deals with treatment of diseases of the dental pulp consisting of partial or complete extirpation of the diseased pulp, cleaning, sterilization, reshaping, and sealing the canal. Care Dental always keeps you in the driver’s seat of your treatment.
Phew!
Once a root canal has been completed on a tooth, a crown is required. Not all crowns require a root canal, but all root canals require a crown.
With a variety of sedation options we work hard in our modern and spa-inspired practice to eliminate any dental anxiety that a patient may have surrounding this procedure.
Root Canal Versus Extraction? This is a common question that we hear most days. Here are some of the items that are considered.
Root canals and tooth extractions are two procedures dentists can use to treat teeth that are damaged or infected in some way. And although comparing root canal vs. extraction can prove to be a difficult decision, learning more about both methods can help you choose.
First – Can we save the tooth? Root canals can be used to save teeth that have damaged, diseased or dead pulp, but are otherwise viable to your mouth. The pulp is the innermost layer of your teeth, providing healthy blood flow to each one, but it can become damaged if you crack your tooth or develop a deep cavity. Both of these situations allow bacteria from your mouth to reach your pulp, which can lead to infection, swelling or the dying of the pulp’s vital tissue. A root canal can fix this, and keep the tooth, the best of both worlds!
What if it has to come out? Sometimes your dentist simply can’t save a tooth, and it needs to be removed. This may be the case if you have a very large cavity that compromises too much of your tooth’s structure, making it too weak to repair. If your tooth has a severe fracture, extraction may be the best option here as well. A tooth with a crack that extends down below the gumline, is a prime candidate for removal.
What is Root Canal Treatment and What Happens After? Root canal treatment is fairly simple: After numbing the area, your dentist will make an opening in the affected tooth, then remove the diseased or dead pulp. Once the pulp has been removed, the pulp chambers will be carefully cleaned to make sure there’re no bacteria left behind. The pulp chambers will then be filled with a dental material that replaces your damaged pulp. A crown may be placed on top of the tooth to help restore its appearance and strength. After your procedure, it’s normal to feel some pain for a few days. This pain can vary from a dull ache to sharp or acute pain, but you should be able to manage your discomfort with an over-the-counter painkiller. If your pain is too intense for personal treatment, or if it goes away and then returns, don’t hesitate to see your dentist.
What is a Tooth Extraction and What Happens After? If you ultimately need or want the tooth extracted, your dentist will first numb the area so you don’t feel any discomfort during the procedure. Next, they’ll use a lever-like appliance known as an elevator to loosen your tooth while it’s still in its socket. Forceps will then be used to officially extract the tooth. You can expect to feel some pressure while this is happening, but nothing that takes away your overall comfort level. After your tooth has been extracted, you’ll bite on a piece of gauze for up to 45 minutes to clot the blood flow that naturally occurs. Light bleeding for about 24 hours after the procedure is normal, as well as a bit of facial swelling, but rest assured you can use ice packs to help reduce the inflammation. When eating again, stick to soft, cool foods that don’t irritate your extraction site, and as you heal you can gradually get back to your regular diet. In general, it can take at least two weeks for the extraction site to heal.
How is the Choice Typically Made? After examining your diseased or damaged tooth, your dentist will recommend the most appropriate treatment method based on their professional judgment. Talk to your dentist about any concerns you have with their recommendation. If you’re worried that a root canal will be very painful, your dentist will reassure you that the pain is short lived compared to an extraction. If you’re worried about paying for a root canal, on the other hand, we can review the many options that can suit any budget. Root canal v s. extraction can be a difficult choice, but your dentist can help you determine the right choice for you and your tooth and we keep it simple by keeping you and your care in the driver’s seat.
We are open late, 7-days a week and have oodles of free parking right out front of our modern and spa-inspired practice. Care Dental in Kelowna is proud to be the first in a dental setting to use the Canadian Standards Agency’s Health Care Facility Guide for Airborne Infection Control HVAC. This means that we control the air in the practice, containing and removing any aerosolized particles or pathogens. We Care about the air you breathe. Care Dental always follows the BC Dental Association Fee Guide and offers several different payment options, including direct billing to your insurance company or payment plans. Dental Emergency? We maintain a 24 hour a day emergency line, with no call-out fees, and quick access to our dentists, for both existing and new patients alike. Did you know that we are the primary referral clinic for dental emergencies presenting at both Kelowna and Penticton General Hospital ER Central Triage? With several dentists focused in all areas of dentistry we are able to refer in-house in most cases, providing you with a one-stop practice for all of your needs and allowing us to be able to provide quick consultations, additional opinion and team-based case review. Even though we are a multi-clinician practice though, you are always in the driver’s seat and never just a number. We stage our dentists, clinical and administrative personnel in teams, so that you always see the same friendly faces and so that we always know you, your family and your story. Care Dental in Kelowna delivers to Kelowna and its surrounding communities the following services: General Dentistry, Wisdom Teeth Extractions, Braces, Tooth Restorations, Root Canals, Dental Implants, Implant Supported Dentures, Dental Bridges and Partial Dentures, Implant Supported Dentures, Airborne Infection Control, Emergency Dental Services, Full Mouth Reconstruction, Open 7-days a week and late, Dental Surgery and Sedation, Dental Sleep Medicine, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Cosmetic and Therapeutic Botox, Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF/PRP), Dental Hygiene, Family Dentistry, Payment Plans, Night Guards / “Brux” Guards, Invisalign, Traditional Aligners, Clear Aligners, Tooth Extractions, Dental Check-Ups, Jaw Pain, Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD/TMJ) and no-charge first “happy visit” for your child. #NothingButTheTooth
Visit us 24/7 for information and online booking at www.caredental.ca. Or, call us at 778-484-2256. We are always accepting new patients and look forward to hearing from you. Care Dental, the dentists that you’ll look forward to safely visiting.
#WhosYourDentist? Dr. Dan Kobi, General Dentist & Principal Dentist
Associate Dentists:
Dr. Chad Fletcher, General Dentist
Dr. Justin Abbot, General Dentist
Dr. Dionysius David, General Dentist
Dr. Danny Zare, General Dentist
Dr. Jack Gordon, General Dentist