Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need of dental implants or bridges. At the center of your tooth is pulp. Infection of the pulp can be caused by trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks and chips, or repeated dental procedures. Symptoms of the infection can be identified as: visible injury or swelling of the tooth, sensitivity to temperature or pain in the tooth and gums. If you experience any of these symptoms, your dentist will most likely recommend non-surgical treatment from an endodontist to eliminate the diseased pulp. This injured pulp is removed and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed. This therapy usually involves local anesthesia and may be completed in one or more visits depending on the treatment required. Success for this type of treatment occurs in about 90% of cases. If your tooth is not amenable to endodontic treatment or the chance of success is unfavorable, you will be informed at the time of your consultation or when a complication becomes evident during or after treatment.

With proper care, most teeth that have had endodontic (root canal) treatment can last as long as other natural teeth. However, in some cases, a tooth that has received endodontic treatment fails to heal as expected. A root canal re-treatment is required when a previous root canal doesn't heal as expected due to re-infection or other complications. A retreatment is similar to an initial root canal but instead of removing the pulp tissue, Dr. Desir has to remove the old root canal filling material. The canals are cleaned and enlarged the same way.

An apicoectomy, also called root end resection, is a surgical procedure intended to remove infection from the root tip and the surrounding tissue. It is necessary when an infection and inflammation continues after a root canal or endodontic retreatment. During this procedure, an incision is made in the gum tissue to expose the bone and surrounding inflamed tissue. The damaged tissue is removed along with the end of the root tip. A root-end filling is placed to prevent reinfection of the root and the gum is sutured. The bone naturally heals around the root over a period of months restoring full function. Following the procedure, there may be some discomfort or slight swelling while the incision heals. This is normal for any surgical procedure. To alleviate any discomfort, an appropriate pain medication will be recommended. If you have pain that does not respond to medication, please contact our office.

Cracked teeth display a variety of symptoms, including erratic pain when chewing, possibly with release of biting pressure, or pain when your tooth is exposed to temperature extremes. In many cases, the pain may come and go, and your dentist may have difficulty locating which tooth is causing the discomfort. Chewing can cause movement of the cracked pieces of your tooth, and the pulp within the tooth becomes irritated. At the same time, when biting pressure is released, the crack can close quickly, resulting in sharp pain. Eventually, the pulp will become damaged and the tooth will consistently hurt, even when you are not chewing. Cracks can lead to infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the cracked tooth.

Dr. Desir treats a variety of problems that has resulted from traumatic dental injuries, such as tooth avulsion and dislodged teeth.

Dislodged Teeth

Injuries to the mouth can cause teeth to be pushed back into their sockets. In this situation, Dr. Desir may reposition and stabilize your tooth. Root canal treatment is usually started within a few weeks of the injury and a medication, such as calcium hydroxide, will be placed inside the tooth. Eventually, a permanent root canal filling will be implanted. If the tooth is pushed partially out of the socket, Dr. Desir may reposition and stabilize your tooth. If the pulp remains healthy, then no other treatment is necessary. However, if the pulp becomes damaged or infected, root canal treatment will be required.

Avulsed Teeth

If an injury causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of your mouth, it is important that you seek treatment immediately! If this happens to you, keep the tooth moist. If possible, put it back into the socket. A tooth can be saved if it remains moist. You can even put the tooth in milk or a glass of water (add a pinch of salt.) Dr. Desir may start root canal treatment based upon the stage of root development. The length of time the tooth was out of your mouth and the way the tooth was stored may influence the type of treatment you receive.

A "toothache" is pain typically around a tooth, teeth or jaws. In most instances, toothaches are caused by a dental problem, such as a dental cavity, a cracked or fractured tooth, an exposed tooth root, or gum disease.

Sometimes diseases of the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint), or spasms of the muscles used for chewing can cause toothache like symptoms.

The severity of a toothache can range from chronic and mild to sharp and excruciating. It can be a dull ache or intense. The pain may be aggravated by chewing or by thermal foods and liquids which are cold or hot. A thorough oral examination, proper tooth testing and evaluation, along with appropriate dental x-rays, can help determine the cause. What we want to know is whether the toothache is really coming from a tooth or somewhere else.