Endodontics Specialist
-
- Tweet
Knight's Dental
Tasha M Knight, DDS
Cosmetic Dentist & Family Dentist located in Decatur, GA
Do you have a severe toothache keeping you up at night and bothering you all day? Toothaches often indicate a problem with the pulp of the tooth, requiring endodontics to repair it. Tasha M. Knight, DDS, at Knight’s Dental in Decatur, Georgia, offers endodontics, including root canals and apicoectomy to treat the soft tissue inside decayed and damaged teeth. If you have a toothache, call the practice, or schedule an appointment online today.
Endodontics Q&A
What is endodontics?
Most forms of dentistry focus on the outside of the teeth. Endodontics is a dental specialty that focuses on the inside of teeth, including the roots and tooth pulp. Endodontics is often needed after trauma injures your teeth or due to extensive decay that reaches the pulp. Root canals are a commonly performed endodontic procedure.
What is tooth pulp?
Teeth consist of multiple layers, and the innermost tooth layer is called the dental pulp. The pulp is made of blood vessels, nerves, and living connective tissues. Tooth decay and infection that reaches the tooth pulp causes tooth sensitivity or pain.
Left untreated, infected tooth pulp causes the tooth to die. If your tooth dies it requires extraction. Endodontic treatments such as root canals attempt to save a tooth with infected pulp so you don’t need to have it removed.
What are the signs of a tooth infection?
In addition to a toothache, the common symptoms of tooth infections include:
- Temperature sensitivity to either hot or cold (or both)
- Jaw pain
- Swollen and red gums
- Throbbing or aching pain radiating around the tooth and face
- Pus around infected teeth
Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth even with proper oral hygiene practices may also signify a tooth infection.
If you have symptoms of a tooth infection, the problem will not resolve itself. Schedule an appointment at Knight’s Dental before the infected tooth causes more complicated dental issues, such as tooth loss.
What is the root canal process?
When tooth decay has reached the dental pulp, Dr. Knight may determine a root canal is necessary to save your infected tooth. During the procedure, Dr. Knight applies a numbing agent to the treatment area to ensure your comfort. Next, the portions of decay and damage are removed from inside the tooth. The empty root canal is filled with dental material and sealed.
Removing the tooth decay ends toothaches and prevents tooth loss. In some cases, a tooth receiving a root canal may need a dental crown to restore its strength and functioning.
If you need specialized endodontics treatment, don’t wait. Call Knight’s Dental or schedule an appointment online today.
