Few things scare patients more than hearing, “You need a root canal.” We don’t know if this is because of misperceptions created by the way dentists are depicted in movies or because of a story they heard from someone else.

We do know that root canal therapy is not something you should fear if you have your procedure at any Sunrise Dental location. We have dentists in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, and Chapel Hill to serve patients the Research Triangle and the surrounding area.

You can make an appointment at any of our offices by contacting us online or by calling the office closest to you. Whether you need root canal therapy or you are trying to avoid needing it, our team is here for you.

Signs That You May Need A Root Canal

Root canal treatments have an undeserved bad reputation. This may be because you often need this treatment in response to the pains that come with having an infected tooth.

Dr. Vice has explained that you need relief when you are in pain, like you will be if you have an abscessed tooth.

Root canal problems are often preceded by other oral health problems. Often this is gum disease, tooth decay, or an injury of some kind. All of those things can allow bacteria to reach the soft tissue called pulp at the center of your tooth.

When this happens, your tooth is infected, and you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:

– Lingering low-level pain in one of your teeth

– Spikes in pain when you bite or chew with a particular tooth

– Painful gums

– Sensitivity to heat, cold, and sweets

– Soreness or tenderness of your gums near the problem tooth

You should make an appointment at the nearest Sunrise Dental if you are experiencing any of the symptoms described above.

The one thing all of those symptoms have in common is pain. At Sunrise Dental we don’t like it when our patients are in pain, and we will do everything that we can to alleviate that pain. We certainly don’t want to cause more of it.

What’s The Difference Between A Root Canal And Root Canal Therapy?

In all fairness, when most people say they need a root canal, they mean they need root canal therapy or treatment.

From a more technical perspective, root canals are openings that allow blood vessels and nerves to enter the roots of your teeth. These openings lead to the pulp chamber, which contains the soft pulp that we mentioned earlier.

Root canal therapy is the procedure to remove pulp that has become inflamed as a result of being infected by bacteria. We will remove nerves and blood vessels as part of this procedure as well.

The dentists at Sunrise Dental know that the infection is the cause of your pain. We also know that removing the bacteria and any soft tissues they may have infected will alleviate that pain.

It’s why we want you to call us as soon as you notice any of the symptoms described above. It’s also why we make preventive dentistry an important part of our practice. Routine dental care often can be enough to prevent or reverse the underlying conditions that make tooth infections possible.

How We Perform Root Canal Procedures

We want your root canal therapy to end your pain, not cause new ones. That’s why the first step in any root canal treatment at Sunrise Dental is making sure you won’t feel any pain during your procedure.

For some people, this will mean using a local anesthetic to numb the infected tooth and the nearby tissues. For others, we provide sedation dentistry to assure that you do not feel anything throughout the root canal treatment.

Either option will keep you from feeling any pain during your procedure. We will clean and sanitize the infected tooth, and we will fill it will a special material to reduce your risk of a new infection.

When the root canal therapy is finished, you will start to feel better in a matter of days. You should notice a lot less pain in the aftermath of the treatment, too.

The Right Way To Treat Your Root Canal

First and foremost, we want you to focus on preventing tooth decay and gum disease with daily brushing and flossing and with routine cleanings at any Sunrise Dental location.

Second, we want you to be aware of the symptoms of an infected tooth so you will know when to call our dentists in Durham, Raleigh, Cary, or Chapel Hill for help.

To schedule your appointment, you can call or click on the name of the office to make an appointment online.