Root Canal Jitters? Here Are The Steps to Serenity

If you’re feeling anxious about your upcoming root canal procedure, our endodontist at Abilene Endodontics understands! The words “root canal” have come to be erroneously associated with painful situations, even though today’s techniques have made this treatment far more effective and comfortable for our patients.

Today we’d like to walk you through the steps of our treatment, in the hopes we can ease your mind.

Following a consultation during which we’ve taken X-rays and ascertained that root canal is the best way to relieve your pain and save that precious tooth, here’s what happens on treatment day:

• A highly effective local anesthetic will be applied to numb the area around the tooth, which ensures you’ll be comfortable throughout the procedure.
• We’ll create a small opening in the top of the tooth to access the pulp, which is the soft tissue containing nerves and blood vessels.
• After we carefully remove the infected pulp from the pulp chamber and root canals, we’ll use tiny instruments and irrigation solutions to thoroughly clean and disinfect those canals.
• We then use specialized instruments to shape those newly cleaned canals so they can be properly filled.
• The canals are filled with a biocompatible, rubber-like material to prevent future infection. We then close the opening in the top of the tooth with a temporary filling.
• Afterward, you might experience some mild discomfort or sensitivity that can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication. We’ll likely schedule a follow-up appointment to place a permanent crown on the tooth for added protection and comfort.

We hope this has helped ease your worries. Keep in mind that our endodontist at Abilene Endodontics is a highly trained, experienced specialist at providing a treatment that will not only relieve your pain, but save your natural tooth, as well as time and expense in the future. Nothing looks, feels and functions like the original equipment! Please contact us if you have any questions.