For more information about dental veneers, dental implants, dentures, Invisalign®, or other treatments in Maryland, Washington, DC, or Virginia, contact us today.
Martin G. Abel, D.D.S.
Shannon E. Abel, D.D.S.
and Associates
11404 Old Georgetown Rd.
Rockville, Maryland 20852
Phone: 301.770.1447
The health of a single tooth can affect the entire mouth. That’s why root canals – the slim hollow centers of a tooth’s roots that contain nerve tissue and pulp – should be treated as quickly as possible when infected. An untreated bacterial infection in the core of a tooth can lead to painful gum abscesses, eventual tooth loss, and a myriad of other oral health complications. It’s important to put such an important treatment in the hands of an experienced dental expert. Thankfully, we have two of them leading our Smiles by Design team, performing root canal therapy and other dental services for residents of Maryland, Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia.
If your tooth is hurting and you think you might be in need of root canal treatment, contact our cosmetic dentistry office to set up a consultation with our warm and professional dentists.
Bacterial infections are usually dealt with by white blood cells which flow though our blood vessels and lymphatic system. If bacteria find their way inside a root canal and pulp chamber (which help keep a tooth healthy and strong), white blood cells can’t effectively access the canal to combat the infection. From there, the bacteria can thrive without much resistance, staging attacks against the gums supporting the tooth.
In performing root canal therapy at our Maryland office, our dentists clear out any damaged tissue inside the root canal, which includes the bacteria causing the infection. Since the source of the infection is removed, the tissue around the tooth is allowed to heal and become healthy again. This eliminates any pain and discomfort being generated by the infected and inflamed gums, while preventing the tooth from being lost or abscesses forming on the gums.
After an infected root canal has been identified, root canal therapy is probably needed to get rid of the infection. To start, our dentist isolates the infected tooth with a rubber dam. Since the purpose of root canal therapy is to eliminate any bacteria living inside the canals and pulp chamber, the rubber dam keeps saliva and the bacteria contained within away from the work being done.
Next, an access cavity is created so that our dentist can get to the pulp chamber and root canals. Once the dentist has made it to the pulp, several different root canal files clear out the inside of the tooth. Occasionally the dentist will irrigate the root canal with a solution to further hollow out the inside. This eliminates both the necrotic, infected, and potentially infected tissue from the tooth.
Once cleaned out, the root canals and pulp chamber are normally filled in to maintain the structural integrity of the tooth. Depending on how extensive the damage to the tooth has become, our dentists may use a filling material, a dental crown, or a dental post placed inside the canal with a dental crown on top. This creates a seal to prevent bacteria from invading the inside of the tooth again and causing further infection.
Root canal therapy has a 95 percent success rate, although complications are possible. The main issue is that the tooth may become re-infected if any bacteria re-enters the root canal. This can happen if there are more root canals than previously known, if there is a crack in the root of the tooth that was not identified, or if the bacteria simply gets past the barriers that seal away the inside of the tooth. If this occurs, we have treatments that can help.
If you are in need of root canal therapy and are in the Maryland, Washington D.C., or Northern Virginia area, contact our cosmetic dentistry practice to set up an appointment. Dr. Martin Abel and Dr. Shannon Abel would be more than happy to relieve your pain with our exceptional care.