Root Canal Treatment – Hingham, MA

Do I Need Root Canal Treatment?

While the best way to determine if you need a root canal is to visit Dr. Hegazi for an emergency exam, you may notice symptoms on your own that could indicate a need for urgent treatment. If you are experiencing any of the following, please contact Admired Smiles as soon as possible:

• A painful toothache lasting more than 24 hours.
• Swelling around the tooth.
• Discoloration on the tooth.
• Discomfort when chewing.

Root canal treatment was designed to treat teeth with severe decay or damage, or teeth with infected pulp. Please be aware that even if you aren’t experiencing any painful symptoms, your tooth could still be infected and pose a danger to other nearby teeth. Worse yet, infections can spread beyond just the teeth and throughout the body, causing serious illness.

The Root Canal Process

There are many reasons you may need a root canal, such as a broken tooth or untreated cavity which could allow harmful oral bacteria to infect your sensitive tooth pulp.

Your root canal treatment will always begin with Dr. Hegazi administering local anesthesia to the area needing treatment, so it is completely numb before any work begins. Next, Dr. Hegazi will use small, special instruments to remove the infected pulp that is responsible for your toothache. Once it is cleared away, the tooth will be filled with a synthetic material called gutta percha, which rebuilds the structure and shape of the tooth. A temporary crown will then be placed on the tooth until your permanent restoration arrives, usually in about two weeks. Once your permanent crown arrives, you will be scheduled to return to Admired Smiles, where your temporary crown will be removed and your permanent crown will be cemented in place.

The Benefits of Getting a Root Canal

You may have heard those old Hollywood tropes about root canal treatment being painful or scary, but the good news is that with today’s advanced procedures and anesthesia, that dated reputation is simply no longer true. In fact, most patients report feeling immediate relief after a root canal, not pain.

There are many benefits to getting a root canal treatment, namely that you can preserve your natural tooth without needing to extract and replace it later on. This benefits you both financially and health-wise, because you won’t need to deal with any of the oral health problems related to losing a permanent tooth such as jawbone deterioration, difficulty eating and speaking clearly, and tooth drift.

Dr. Hegazi uses durable, lifelike dental crowns that won’t highlight the damage to your tooth, and when well cared for after treatment, your treated tooth should last for the rest of your life. Still, it is important to prevent future damage, so be sure to maintain an excellent oral hygiene routine, including brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting Dr. Hegazi twice a year for your preventive dental exams and cleanings.