ROOT CANAL THERAPY STOCKTON, CA

When a tooth has become significantly damaged or decayed, Dr. Howard Nguyen may recommend root canal therapy to restore it. Unlike tooth extraction, which requires removing the natural tooth completely, root canal therapy allows Dr. Nguyen to save the natural tooth and restore health and function to your smile. Root canal therapy may be necessary if any of the following are present:

  • Decay inside the tooth’s pulp
  • An infection or abscess inside the tooth
  • Significant injury or trauma

Root canal therapy can be completed in just two visits to Nguyen Dental Practice, and thanks to advances in treatment techniques, anesthesia and technology, the procedure can be performed with minimal discomfort. After the treatment is complete, Dr. Nguyen will place a dental crown on the treated tooth for additional protection and aesthetics.

Root canal therapy is often the only alternative to a tooth extraction. If the infected tooth is not treated, it can cause the tooth to die, and the infection may eventually spread. By performing a root canal we remove the infected and injured tooth tissues so that you can regain your oral health and continue using your original tooth.

We invite you to contact our office today at (209) 478-6466 if you have questions about root canal therapy in Stockton, California, or to schedule a consultation with our experienced dentist.

Root Canal Procedure

A root canal is the procedure to take care of the tooth when the cavity is so deep that it involves the pulp, the nerve inside the tooth.

When Is A Root Canal Needed?

If the teeth or your tooth is sensitive to hot and cold and it starts to hurt, especially too hot, then it's likely that you need a root canal. If you have a big hole in the tooth, likely you need a root canal. If you've got a gum boil on the gum, then likely you need a root canal.

Delaying a root canal

It's not a good idea to delay a root canal treatment. Even if it's not hurting but the doctor diagnosed that you need a root canal, you should have it done; the sooner the better. The longer you wait, the less chance that we can save that tooth for you and you may lose that tooth due to extraction.

Is a root canal expensive?

Replacing that tooth will be a lot more expensive than the root canal.

Is the procedure painful?

We numb you off for the procedure so it's similar to a filling or extraction. Most of the time, we just need local anesthesia and with the advance of anesthesia, the topical and the local infiltration with buffer, we can numb the tooth completely for the procedure.

How many visits does a root canal procedure require?

Usually, it takes two visits to finish the root canal. The first one is for pain management, cleansing and shaping, and then the second appointment is for obturation is for filling the root canal.

Getting A Crown After A Root Canal

After the root canal, the tooth will be brittle because we don't have the nerve, the vascular system inside the tooth. So it's dry, it's brittle, it's likely to fracture. The crown will help decrease the chance of the tooth being fractured.

An Alternative to a root canal

The other option instead of a root canal is a tooth extraction.

What to do if the root canal gets reinfected

After the root canal, if you got reinfected on that root canal system, you may have a gum boil. The recommendation is to retreat or sometimes surgery to get rid of the infection. Worst case scenario, you may lose the tooth.

Is a root canal tooth more susceptible to problems

It's more common than a regular tooth or it's more common than tooth with fillings. So I would say you have to be careful if you've got a root canal tooth.

Is a root canal procedure safe?

It's very, very safe.