An Emergency Dentist Visit May Lead to a Root Canal That Saves Your Tooth

If you have a toothache, call our emergency dentist office in Mission Viejo.  We will quickly examine your teeth in order to determine what is causing your tooth pain and address it immediately.  If the tooth is infected and the infection continues to spread, it can lead to a painful dental abscess.  This is completely avoidable with ongoing preventative dental care and a trip to the dentist at the first sign of pain and discomfort.  The key is to seek help and not let the condition continue.

In our office, we perform root canals on a regular basis, which allows us to eliminate infections and save a tooth from extraction.  We do not need to perform a root canal in every case, only when the soft center of the tooth (dental pulp) becomes infected.  The dental pulp of the tooth is particularly sensitive because the roots run through it.  Infected or swollen dental pulp directly impacts the roots of the teeth. Thus, pain signals are sent to the brain, which leads to sudden discomfort.

As an emergency dentist, we can treat your infected tooth by removing the infected area.  We remove the infection by creating a small hole that we use to pull out the infected area.  This may be the dental pulp only or the roots as well.  By removing the infected area, you should start to feel better quickly.  We also use sedation to ensure that you remain completely comfortable during your treatment.  Most people report feeling better right away since it was the infection creating the discomfort.

Afterward, we may prescribe some antibiotics for you to take that can kill any lingering infection.  If so, it is important to take them as directed until they are all gone.  We will also need to stabilize and strengthen your tooth. This is done by restoring the missing tooth structure with a tooth-colored filling.  This way your tooth looks completely natural and there are no spaces for bacteria to enter the tooth and cause a secondary infection.  We typically use a dental crown to finish off the procedure.  In this case, a crown or cap is placed around your tooth.  It surrounds the tooth entirely so that nothing can directly come in contact with the natural tooth.  This includes food, saliva, and bacteria.

A crown serves a secondary purpose.  By strengthening the tooth, it ensures that you can bite down with full force and not experience any discomfort while you do.  This is essential because otherwise your previously infected tooth may not be strong enough to sustain daily use.  This procedure is incredibly effective, and we complete it on a regular basis to save teeth and prevent them from needing to be pulled.

If you need to see an emergency dentist in Mission Viejo for another reason like a cracked or chipped tooth, we can help with that as well.  Simply call our office at (949) 201-4721 to schedule your appointment.