Pain and swelling can signal an infected tooth. Generations Dental Care in Concord, NH provides gentle root canal therapy in a state of the art environment.

A swollen jaw, pain when chewing, pus at the gum line, a bad taste and odor–you may have a dental abscess. The dentists at Generations Dental Care treat infected teeth with skillful and precise root canal therapy in their Concord, Nh office, alleviating discomfort and preserving tooth structure.

What if a root canal becomes infected?

A root canal, one of the up to 4 inner chambers of a tooth, infects when decay becomes too deep or if tooth structure fractures. Bacteria creep into the soft, innervated pulp, causing the difficult symptoms we all call “ a toothache.”

Fortunately, a tooth can function quite well without the blood supply, nerves and connective tissue within a root canal. So, when Dr. Christopher Binder or one of his associate dentists at Generations Dental Care confirms the need for root canal, or endodontic, therapy chances are high the procedure will succeed, and the restored tooth will remain comfortably in place for years.

What’s involved in endodontic therapy?

Endodontic therapy take 2 dental visits with Generations Dental Care specialist, Dr. Tevyah Dines. He begins with providing proper sedation or anesthesia for the patient and then accesses the infected root canal with a dental drill. He removes the diseased pulp with a series of tiny files, disinfects the chamber and then seals it with gutta-percha, a rubbery substance. He places a temporary filling over the site. During the next visit,  Dr. Dines places filling or porcelain crown.

Contrary to popular opinion, modern root canal therapy is not torturous or lengthy. Rather, it relieves pain and infection and confers new life on a tooth. Success rate for endodontic therapy is quite high as well.

Can re-infection occur?

Sometimes people develop issues with a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy. Perhaps some calcification or retained tissue in the tooth chamber reinfects, compromising the integrity of the root and tooth. In short, re-infection occasionally occurs.

If confirmed on x-ray, Dr. Dines may advise an Apicoectomy. During this in-office surgical procedure, the gums around the tooth are incised, and the infected root opened. Dr. Dines removes the infected material and also the very tip of the root. He places a filling at the root tip and sutures the site closed.

A viable tooth is worth saving

Endodontic therapy offers dental patients an outstanding chance of preserving compromised teeth. Missing one or more teeth present problems such as:

• drifting of adjacent teeth
• compromised chewing and speaking
• gum and jawbone recession
• decreased bite height
• sagging of facial muscles
• premature wrinkling

As such, the team at Generations Dental Care pursues the most technologically advanced restorative procedures aimed at keeping your teeth and gums healthy and intact for the long term.

Are you concerned about the health of a tooth?

Then schedule an appointment with the finest team of Concord dentists. Call Generations Dental Care for your personal evaluation today.