Save Your Tooth With a Root Canal

Are you experiencing dental discomfort? Your oral health matters! At Hope Dental Professionals, we provide comprehensive dental care, including expert-guided root canal treatment by dentist Dr. Pate. Our team provides exceptional care to Bentonville and our surrounding communities, ensuring your dental health is always a top priority.

What is a Root Canal?

A root canal is a dental procedure that treats the soft pulp tissue inside of your tooth. This treatment becomes necessary when your tooth’s pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The process itself involves removing this damaged pulp, cleaning and disinfecting the inside of your tooth, and then filling and sealing it to maintain your tooth’s integrity.

Symptoms That Call For a Root Canal

Recognizing the symptoms of certain dental issues can help you get the right treatment when you need it to avoid further complications. While the only way to confirm the need for a root canal is with a dental exam, there are still some symptoms that you could look out for:

Patient who has visisted for a root canal in Bentonville

  1. Severe Toothache: The most common symptom is severe toothache, especially when chewing or applying pressure to the tooth.
  2. Prolonged Sensitivity to Hot or Cold: Long-lasting or severe sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, even after the temperature stimulus has been removed.
  3. Darkening or Discoloration of the Tooth: A discolored tooth can indicate problems within the dental pulp.
  4. Swollen, Tender, or Inflamed Gums: Swelling or tenderness in the gums around a specific tooth can be a sign of an infection.
  5. Persistent Pimple on the Gums: A recurring or persistent pimple on the gums, often painful and filled with pus, is a sign of infection. This is known as a dental abscess.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit Dr. Pate at Hope Dental Professionals! Early detection and treatment can save your tooth and prevent further complications.

The Benefits of Root Canal Treatment

  1. Relieve the pain caused by inflammation or infection.
  2. Keep your natural tooth and preserve your natural biting force.
  3. Prevent the spread of infection to other teeth and your jaw.
  4. Time-efficient and cost-effective treatment.

What to Expect During Your Treatment

An illustration of a tooth through the phases of a root canal treatment

The first step in your root canal involves taking an x-ray of the affected tooth to determine the shape of the root canals and check if the surrounding bone shows any sign of infection.

Despite common misconceptions, the procedure is no more painful than a typical filling. Dr. Pate can administer local anesthesia to numb the tooth and surrounding area, ensuring patient comfort throughout the procedure. She will then place a rubber dam around your tooth to keep it dry during your procedure. An opening is then made in the crown of your tooth, and specialized tools are used to ensure the infected and inflamed pulp is carefully removed.

The root canals are then thoroughly cleaned, enlarged, and shaped to provide a clean, smooth, and receptive space for filling. The canal is then filled with a biocompatible material, usually a rubber-like substance called gutta-percha. The gutta-percha is placed with an adhesive cement to ensure complete sealing of the root canals.

We’ll then rebuild your tooth with a temporary filling that’s used to close the opening until a permanent restoration, like a crown, is ready to be placed. After a few weeks, when the tooth has healed, Dr. Pate will remove the temporary filling and restore the tooth with a crown or other restoration to protect and restore it to full function.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a root canal necessary?

A root canal becomes necessary when the pulp inside your tooth is inflamed or infected due to deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the same tooth, or a crack or chip in the tooth.

Is this treatment painful?

With today’s modern technology and local anesthetics, our patient can rest assured that they’ll feel comfortable during their procedure.

How long does the procedure take?

Patient sitting in the chair at Hope Dental Professionals for a root canal in Bentonville

Generally, a root canal procedure is completed in one or two appointments, each lasting about 90 minutes.

How long will the tooth last after a root canal?

With proper care, your tooth can last a lifetime!

What is the success rate of this treatment?

According to the American Association of Endodontists, root canal therapy has a success rate of over 97%!

Experience Painless Root Canal Treatment

We believe that all of our patients deserve exceptional dental care. If you’re experiencing any symptoms mentioned above, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with Dr. Pate. We’ll help you preserve your smile and improve your oral health with expert root canal treatment. Contact us today to book your consultation.