I’m Nervous About My Upcoming Root Canal

If you need a root canal, you’ve probably heard old rumors that made you dread what’s ahead. But you don’t need to worry.

At K Street Dental & Orthodontic Group, we stay on the cutting edge of advanced technology to give our patients a superior experience. Our dental team performs root canals in order to save your teeth. Our expert dental professionals are highly experienced in this procedure..

If you suffer from symptoms like a severe toothache, tooth sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, or a tiny pus pocket near the base of your tooth, you might need a root canal. 

What to expect

Sometimes the best way to take the fear out of a procedure is to learn exactly what to expect. A root canal procedure can take one to three visits. It simply depends on whether you need a restoration (crown) applied after your root canal.

Before we start your procedure, we make sure you don’t feel a thing in the area we’re treating. If you’ve ever had a cavity filled, the process for numbing your mouth is the same. We use a local anesthetic to deaden the nerves in the area of treatment. 

Once the medicine takes full effect, we can begin the procedure, which involves:

• Drilling a tiny hole in the surface of your tooth
• Cleaning out the damaged pulp inside the tooth
• Cleaning and disinfecting the inside of your tooth
• Sealing your tooth with a rubbery compound called gutta-percha

We may need to insert a small tiny post in your root canal to support the core of your tooth. We then seal the hole in the top of your tooth with a dental filling and fit your tooth with a crown, if needed.

When the procedure is over, you might experience some slight achiness in the area as the numbness wears off, but all side effects should subside within a day. If you have sensitivity when chewing, you can manage your pain with over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen sodium.

How advanced technology helps

At K Street Dental, we use a dental microscope, which allows increased magnification that gives us impeccable precision and control during your procedure. 

With this tool, we can also take pictures and videos and communicate openly about what we’re seeing and talk about your treatment plan. The dental microscope also offers an extremely high level of efficiency, which gives you excellent results.

Any time you experience something unusual with your teeth or oral health, book an appointment with us. We can assess your condition, give you a thorough evaluation, and determine the best method of treatment for you.

To schedule a consultation about a root canal procedure at our Washington, DC, office, reach out by phone or online today.