by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Feb 10, 2016 | Blog, Endodontics, Endodontist, Root Canal
Having a root canal treatment is one big step toward saving an infected or damaged tooth. However, the root canal procedure itself, which has a 95 percent success rate, is only the beginning of the treatment process. There are several steps you can take – some immediately after your root canal and some over the long run – to ensure your tooth heals properly.
Caring For Your Teeth After A Root Canal
- Post-operative care. Immediately after the treatment, don’t bite down or chew with the treated tooth. You can manage discomfort with over-the-counter pain medication and by applying an ice pack to your face for 10 minutes every 20 minutes to reduce swelling. Return to your endodontist if discomfort persists or your original symptoms return.
- Taking prescribed medications. It is critical that you take all medications that may have been prescribed by your endodontist after your treatment.
- Dental restoration. Make an appointment with your general dentist around two weeks after your root canal so he or she can place a crown on the treated tooth to protect it from reinfection. A crown can also provide important support to the compromised tooth’s structure.
- Periodic endodontic appointments. Don’t skip follow-up visits to your endodontist after your restoration is in place. Your endodontist will examine the root canal by using X-rays and other assessment tools to make sure there are no signs of infection and to monitor healing.
- Good oral hygiene. You can keep your restored tooth healthy by brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and getting dental cleanings regularly.
“Some patients think their root canal is finished once they leave their endodontist’s chair,” says Dr. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “But the treatment is a process, not an event. Following your aftercare instructions is crucial.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Feb 2, 2016 | Blog, Endodontist, Phoenix Endodontic Group
Endodontics is one of nine specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, so it’s not surprising that Phoenix endodontists get many of their patients from referrals from general dentists. According to the American Association of Endodontists, 97 percent of general dentists referred a patient to an endodontist last year.
There are several reasons endodontic referrals are made, all of which result in a better outcome for you and your teeth.
Why Phoenix endodontists receive referrals
- Experience and training – Endodontists receive two to three years of postgraduate training in this special practice area, which relates to treating the diseases of the inner dental pulp and nerves. They also typically do many more root canals than general dentists do – as many as 25 per week, versus a general dentist, who may average two root canals a week.
- Equipment – Root canals are performed with specialized equipment that includes microscopes with which to view the surgery area and files to clean out the infected canals.
- Ability to treat complex or unusual cases – Many patients who are referred to an endodontist have tooth roots that may be curved, have multiple roots for one tooth, or have other anomalies. Endodontists rely on their additional training and expertise to guide them through successful treatment of these unique cases.
- Ability to make the treatment comfortable – Endodontists can often perform root canals and other related procedures more quickly than general practitioners, which can result in greater comfort and reduced anxiety for a patient.
“Your Phoenix endodontist has close professional relationships with many general dentists in the Valley,” says Dr. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “We are able to provide fast, efficient, successful treatments within our area of practice, so general practitioners may focus on providing other services.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Jan 27, 2016 | Blog, Endodontist, Phoenix Endodontic Group
One of the most traumatic dental injuries a person can experience is having a permanent (“adult”) tooth knocked out. Many knocked-out teeth happen as a result of sports injuries or other accidental blows to the face. The good news is that if proper steps are followed immediately after the tooth is dislodged, it is possible for your Phoenix endodontist to help you save the tooth.
Saving Your Knocked-Out Tooth
- Pick up the tooth by the crown, not the root. It’s essential for the tooth’s survival that you pick up the tooth by the biting surface, not the root.
- Gently clean the tooth if it is dirty … but be careful how you do it. Gently clean the tooth with water. It’s important not to clean the tooth with soap or chemicals, to scrub the knocked-out tooth, or to wipe it with or wrap it in a cloth.
- Keep the tooth moist at all times. The best ways to keep the tooth moist after cleaning it are to keep it in milk, in the contents of an emergency tooth preservation kit such as Save-A-Tooth, or to place it back inside of your mouth.
- Reposition the tooth in its socket if that is possible. The sooner the tooth is replaced, the greater the likelihood it will survive. If you can get the tooth to sit in its socket, hold the tooth in place with fingers or by gently biting down on it.
- See your Phoenix endodontist immediately. Time is of the essence with a knocked-out tooth. The first hour is crucial. If you can get to a Phoenix endodontist within the first 20 minutes for emergency treatment, that’s even better.
Once you arrive at your Phoenix endodontist, he or she will splint the tooth in place and evaluate its condition. The splint may stay in place for up to several weeks. Because the tooth has been knocked out by its roots, he or she may recommend root canal treatment to avoid infection and provide long-term stability for the tooth.
“Don’t assume that if your tooth has been knocked out, it can’t be saved,” says Dr. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Your Phoenix endodontist can often save your tooth, and it can remain in your mouth for a lifetime.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Jan 21, 2016 | Blog, Endodontics, Root Canal
Tooth pain can be exasperating. Its intensity can range from barely perceptible to agonizing, but it’s difficult for the layperson to know exactly what’s wrong. One thing that anyone experiencing tooth pain should NOT do is ignore it. Here are four common causes of tooth pain, all of which can often require a root canal to address and treat the source of the pain properly.
4 Causes of Tooth Pain That Can’t Be Ignored
- Cavities – Tooth decay can cause holes in our teeth, which can make them sensitive and cause pain. Small cavities can be rectified with fillings, but if left untreated, they can cause serious infections that impact the roots of your teeth and require a root canal to fix.
- Chipped or cracked teeth – Even a tiny bit of damage to your tooth enamel can become a gateway for bacterial infection in your teeth. If the chip or crack leaves a jagged or sharp surface, the tooth can cause pain by lacerating your gums or tongue.
- Bruxism – Bruxism, or grinding one’s teeth, can cause serious pain from the act of clenching one’s jaw. The condition can also lead to cracked teeth, which can also let infection enter the tooth.
- Dental injuries – Any kind of violent impact to the face or mouth can cause pain and damage to the entire tooth, including its root.
Symptoms that may indicate a condition that may require a root canal to address them can include pain when pressure is applied to a tooth, pain that appears with hot or cold foods/drink and remains after the hot/cold stimulus is removed, a pimple-like bump on the gums, or a swelling of the gums near a tooth.
“Pain is our body’s early warning system, telling us something is wrong with our teeth,” says Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, an endodontist who practices with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Root canals and other related treatments can provide prompt, lasting relief.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Dec 7, 2015 | Blog, Endodontics, Phoenix Endodontic Group, Root Canal
When a full-blown toothache happens, it can seem almost impossible to ignore. But sometimes it can be unclear what is happening, or what to do next.
An infection in your tooth root that has abscessed is a serious matter. Here are a few facts about abscessed teeth that can help you make the right decision for your health quickly and get the treatment, including a root canal, that you may need.
What happens when a tooth becomes abscessed
A tooth abscess happens when there is an infection in or around the root of the tooth. Infection can enter a tooth due to decay, a crack or a chip in the tooth, or when periodontal (gum) disease becomes advanced and the infection enters through a pocket (gap) between the tooth and the surrounding gums. When there is an abscess, the pulp inside of a tooth dies and may become inflamed.
Symptoms of a tooth abscess
Often patients with a tooth abscess will feel an ache in the bone around the tooth. This may start as a throbbing pain that won’t go away. Sensitivity in the tooth to heat and when chewing may also be present. Later, a fever may develop, or lymph nodes under the jaw or in the neck may swell and become tender. If the abscess breaks open, a sudden rush of foul-smelling and foul-tasting fluid (pus) may spill into the mouth.
After acute pain passes and the diseased pulpal tissue dies, the pain may fade, or even go away, but the problem won’t.
Treating an abscessed tooth
A dental specialist such as an endodontist should evaluate a tooth that may be abscessed. They will take a detailed history of the pain symptoms, test the responsiveness of the tooth to temperature and pressure, and evaluate radiographs (x-ray pictures) in order to help make a diagnosis.
It’s important to determine the origin of the infection. If the infection is inside the tooth’s pulp, a root canal treatment, with an appropriate restoration applied afterward, can ensure the infection doesn’t return. If it is a serious periodontal infection causing the abscess, the gums also will need to receive treatment to prevent the spread of the infection.
“Always take toothache symptoms seriously,” says Dr. Allen, an endodontist with the Phoenix Endodontic Group. “Get a professional evaluation. If it is being caused by an abscessed tooth, a root canal treatment can often save the tooth and keep it healthy for years to come.”
by Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen | Dec 2, 2015 | Blog, Dentistry, Endodontist, Patients
It can take self-discipline to make appointments for regular dental care, but here’s a reason to be thankful you are able to make and pay for those checkups: surveys have indicated that 21 percent of Arizona adults and 31 percent of all Arizona children have never had a dental check-up. Even more concerning, more than 44 percent of Arizonans lack dental insurance, making care of critical dental needs financially challenging.
To rectify this situation, the Central Arizona Dental Society Foundation is hosting its annual Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy (AZMOM) event on Dec. 11 and 12 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix. AZMOM is a dental clinic that offers basic dental care at no cost to the individuals being treated.
More than 2,000 patients are seen each year at the AZMOM event, and care is provided at the dental clinic by nearly 1,500 volunteers, including clinicians such as dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants, as well as hundreds of non-clinical volunteers who help make the event run smoothly. In 2014, $1.8 million in free dental care was provided.
Because it is a dental clinic in a temporary location set up for a short duration, AZMOM focuses on providing basic care and relieving pain and infection. Patients are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Providers treat patients by performing extractions, filling cavities and performing prophylactic dental cleanings.
Those wanting to participate in the AZMOM event will want to arrive well before the clinic doors open at 6 a.m. each day. Once the total numbers of patients that can seen each day have been registered, no additional patients can be accommodated. Patients seeking treatment at the dental clinic should be prepared to spend the entire day at the event.
Dr. Jacqueline S. Allen, who practices with the Phoenix Endodontics Group, said the AZMOM event was a way for dental professionals in Arizona to give back to the community and improve the state’s overall oral health situation. “The free AZMOM dental clinic allows dentists to provide critical care to those who need it the most, and can afford it the least,” she said. “Please spread the word to anyone who could benefit from this event.”
More information on the AZMOM event is available online at the AZMOM website.
