Root Canal Therapy in Raleigh

Root canal therapy can save an infected tooth from further damage, and is often the best procedure to treat severe decay in order to avoid an extraction. If an infected tooth goes untreated, the damage can become more severe and can result in tooth loss. Signs that your tooth may be infected include extreme sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, pain when chewing or applying pressure, or a tooth that is turning gray in color. Notice any of these symptoms? Contact our Raleigh dentist right away for an evaluation to see if a root canal is necessary.

If your tooth is badly damaged by decay, you will notice extreme sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, a severe toothache, and pain when chewing. When bacteria penetrates tooth enamel, it can affect tender nerves in the pulp tissue and cause an infection. If the damage to your tooth gets to this point, endodontic surgery is the best way to restore your health by cleaning the infected area and keeping it safe from further damage.

Root canal therapy is a fairly routine treatment, and Dr. Atari is as gentle as possible during the procedure. With localized anesthetic and our sedation options, root canals are a virtually painless procedure and typically only take one or two appointments at our Raleigh office.

To start the procedure, Dr. Atari will apply the anesthetic and clean the affected area. She will drill through the enamel to get to your tooth’s damaged pulp, cleaning the root canals and removing any bacteria that’s feeding the infection. She will then fill the canals with a rubber-like substance called gutta-percha, and then fill the enamel with a regular filling. This restores your tooth’s structure and protects it from further damage. A crown may be used to cap the tooth if necessary. But once Dr. Atari completes your restorative procedure, it’s typically just a few days until you’re completely pain-free and back to normal.