Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. That means your toothache is telling you there’s something wrong with your tooth. Chances are, you managed to get an infection inside it. Without the proper treatment, that infection will grow, making the toothache worse until the tooth needs to be extracted.

Thankfully, you can call our Lincroft, NJ dental office today at 732-352-3903 and make an appointment for a root canal. Don’t worry! Modern root canals are virtually painless thanks to local anesthesia and our Lincroft dentist’s years of training and experience. Soon, you can get rid of that nagging toothache and save your tooth.

Why You Might Need A Root Canal

Your mouth is home to some harmful bacteria. That’s why you can get cavities and gum disease. The bacteria feed on tiny particles of food and drink, and in return, they produce an acid. This stuff burns holes in your teeth called cavities or tooth decay.

If the cavity is caught in time, you can get the damage repaired with a filling or dental crown. But your enamel has no nerves. You can have a cavity growing bigger and deeper without knowing it. (Which is why regular trips to Newman Springs Dental Care is needed.) If a cavity gets deep enough, it breaks through your enamel.

Inside your tooth is dental pulp. This is where the blood vessels and nerve endings are found for that tooth. When bacteria infect here, they trigger the nerves and give you a toothache. Worse, the infection begins starving your tooth, and the enamel begins to turn brittle. An infected tooth is at risk for fracturing open.

How Root Canal Procedures Usually Go

This is where a root canal comes in. Dr. Friedman can use a root canal procedure to gently and safely remove the infection before the tooth grows too brittle and painful. Here’s what your root canal procedure will likely entail.

  • Our team will take digital X-rays of your tooth. This allows our Lincroft dentist to spot right where the infection is.
  • Your tooth is thoroughly cleaned, and a local anesthetic is administered to numb the tooth and the surrounding area.
  • Dr. Friedman makes a small opening in the infected tooth.
  • Using specialized training and tools, he gently removes the infected dental pulp.
  • An inert material is used to fill in any empty space from removing the infected pulp.
  • You get a dental crown placed over that tooth to make it stronger and seal that opening.

Myths (And Truths) About Root Canals

Because root canal procedures aren’t needed a lot compared to fillings, there are some myths out there. Here are a few of the more common root canal myths and the truth about each.

MYTH: Root canals are very painful.
TRUTH: Modern root canals are virtually painless.

Mention to someone that you’re getting a root canal, and chances are, they will wince and say how sorry they are. But that’s just a myth! Maybe it was true a long time in the past, but today’s root canal procedures are virtually painless. By combining our Lincroft dentist’s expertise with local anesthetic, your root canal will not be very painful at all.

MYTH: Getting a root canal weakens your tooth.
TRUTH: It’s the infection that makes your tooth weak.

This myth probably exists because a root canal procedure typically ends with a dental crown going over that tooth. People started to think that the tooth was weak because of the root canal. But that’s not true at all. The infection makes your tooth brittle, which is why it gets weak. In fact, by adding that dental crown, a root canal actually makes your tooth stronger.

MYTH: Root canals increase your risk of health problems like arthritis.
TRUTH: Root canals make you healthier by removing an infection.

Almost 100 years ago, one dentist came up with the idea that root canals somehow create health problems. He linked it to arthritis, for example. However, that idea was soon proven wrong by other dentists and his idea was discredited. But you know how it goes. That myth is still around sometimes. Which is just silly, since a root canal can actually removes an infection before it has the chance to enter your bloodstream and cause widespread inflammation.

Call TODAY at 732-352-3903 or use our convenient online form to make your next appointment. If a dental exam shows you have an infection, a root canal from our highly skilled Lincroft dentist can be just the thing to stop that toothache — and make your tooth strong and healthy again.