Houston Root Canal

If you have an infected tooth and put off having it treated, you could find yourself in a Houston hospital.  An infected tooth will never heal itself, and the infection will spread into the jaw and bloodstream.  A root canal is the only safe and proven method of removing this infection.  Even if the tooth is pulled, the source of the infection below the gum line will still need to be dealt with. 

In addition to cosmetic dentistry services, the Houston Medical Center Dental Group routinely performs root canal services for our patients.  The advantage to coming to our office for such treatment is that Houston residents not only receive advanced and effect medical remedy for the infection, but they also get tooth restoration services that beautify the tooth and make it look better than ever.

A root canal and tooth restoration normally involves three total steps.

First and foremost, the dentist wants the entire procedure to be comfortable for the patient.  The first thing he or she does is to make certain that the area around the tooth being worked on is completely numb. 

If the patient has sever anxiety about a root canal, suffers from a strong gag reflex, or proves resistant to Novocain, additional oral or even IV sedation may be applied to medicate the patient properly for the procedure.  If this is necessary, a Houston anesthesiologist may be brought into our office to assist in the sedation aspect of the root canal.

Next, the dentist will place a rubber dam around the tooth being worked on.  This isolates the tooth from the rest of the mouth.  It also protects the mouth and throat by trapping any debris that would otherwise fall backward.   The rubber dam also helps keep the surface tooth dry and accessible so the dentist can work more effectively.

To remove the infection itself, the dentist then makes an opening through the top of the tooth down into the pulp chamber. Using a dental file, the dentist carefully removes all infected tissue and reshapes the root canals to prepare them for filling.

X-rays are taken to make sure all infection has been removed, and then filling material is applied.

The Houston Medical Center Dental Group makes it a matter of policy to use composite bonding material for filling root canals, never silver-mercury fillings.

The restorative phase of the treatment is the making and placement of a dental crown.  This will protect the tooth, make it stronger and more resilient, and ultimately make it look more attractive.  Each dental crown is custom made to fit the bite and surrounding appearance of teeth.  All crowns made in our Houston lab are constructed of porcelain, which is super strong, and which looks almost identical to natural tooth enamel.

Because each patient is different, and the degrees of infection vary, root canal therapy may take two or more appointments to complete.  Also, it takes time for the lab to manufacture a permanent, porcelain crown.  Temporary fillings or crowns are used to protect teeth between visits.  

 

Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont and Midland Texas to see Dr Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth OSullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services. 

 

For any other questions related to cosmetic dentistry, you can Contact Us at 713.795.5905, visit our Dental Blog or Ask the Dentist. Seek professional care on a regular basis as well.  Some things, such as teeth cleaning and a full oral examination, can only be done in a dental office.