Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent.
An Interview with Dr. W. Kevin Mahoney on Root Canal
Dr. W. Kevin Mahoney is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Root Canal.
Q. What is root canal treatment?
A. Root canal therapy is probably the most misunderstood and maligned dental procedure. The butt of sitcom jokes and even horror scenes in movies, the myths of root canals are a challenge to overcome.
Here’s the truth about root canals:
• They don’t hurt. You are numb during the procedure. They don’t hurt.
• They relieve pain. Many patients who need root canal therapy arrive in pain. Treatment relieves that pain.
• No, we aren’t removing the roots of your tooth. The infected contents of the roots are removed.
• Root canals save teeth that would otherwise have to be extracted.
• Did I mention root canals don’t hurt?
Q. What are the signs or symptoms of needing a root canal?
A. Sometimes no symptoms are present; however, severe toothache pain when chewing, prolonged sensitivity or pain to heat or cold, swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums, discoloration of the tooth are all signs that you may need a root canal. Pain medication and antibiotics will temporarily relieve these symptoms; but, I can assure you if antibiotics and analgesics could successfully treat the infections, dentist would not go through the trouble of performing root canal treatments. If you want to keep your tooth, you will need a root canal.
Q. What happens during a root canal?
A. The first step is to take an X-ray to see the shape of root canals and determine if there are any signs of infections in a surrounding bone. Your dentist will use local anesthesia to numb the area near the tooth. An access hole will be drilled into the tooth. The decayed nerve tissue along with bacteria and related debris is removed from the tooth. The cleaning out process is accomplished by using a series of small root canal files. Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it is sealed. Some dentist may wait to fill the tooth due to infection; consequently, the dentist will put medication into the tooth. If the tooth is not permanently sealed that day, a temporary filing is placed in the tooth to keep out contaminants – food, saliva, candy! – between appointments. The final step may involve further restoration of the tooth, because a tooth that needed a root canal often is one that had a large filing or extensive decay. A crown or crown and post may be needed to protect the tooth or prevent it from breaking and restore it to its full function. Your dentist will advise you as to what he or she thinks is the best for your dental situation. However, the sooner these arrangements are made the better.
Q. Are there alternatives to a root canal?
A. If root canal therapy is indicated for a tooth, there is really no other treatment but extraction. The cost or simplicity of a tooth extraction might seem attractive in comparison to having root canal treatment performed. But this solution might not be the easiest or least expensive treatment choice in the long run. When a tooth is missing its neighboring teeth will tend to shift, sometimes significantly. This in turn can have a major impact on your dental health. Even losing a single tooth can lead to problems with your chewing ability or your jaw joint. Teeth that have shifted because of a lost neighboring tooth can be more likely to have dental problems themselves. Teeth like to have healthy neighbors.
Q. How much will the procedure cost?
A. The cost associated with root canal treatment will be determined by your dentist. The time and skill needed to perform the procedure and any further treatment will be a part of the final bill. Talk with your dentist to completely understand not only the treatment but the cost associated with it.
Remember; keep a beautiful smile on your face with healthy teeth.
Q. How to contact Dr. Mahoney if we have further questions?
A.
3915 Caughey Road
Erie, PA. 16506-4031
Phone : (814) 833-3505
Email : Dr. Kevin Mahoney [contactus@drkevinmahoney.com]
Website: http://drkevinmahoney.com/
