Saving Your Smile with Root Canal Therapy in Menifee

Each one of your teeth holds an internal network of connective tissues, nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue that contribute to their proper development. Generally, due to severe decay or injury, the tooth’s pulp becomes inflamed and infected. Not only does this cause intense pain and discomfort, but it threatens the overall health of your smile.

Our Menifee dentist, Dr. Marcelo Romero-Shu, is committed to saving your teeth as much as possible with comprehensive root canal therapy treatment. At Oak Valley Dental, we work hard to provide effective methods to preserve your oral and overall health.  

If you or a loved one are experiencing severe toothache and intense discomfort, do not hesitate to contact our experienced team. Schedule your appointment today!

Gentle Tooth Extractions from Dr. Marcelo Romero-Shu

It is highly recommended to remove teeth that have been unable to grow into proper alignment as they will become impacted and cause crowding.  This can lead to the cavities and can contribute to more severe dental complications for the future.

We initiate your extraction treatment with a thorough consultation and examination of your current dental state to determine your exact needs. Detailed x-rays taken by our team allow for Dr. Romero-Shu to develop the most accurate course of action for your tooth removal. We work to ensure your treatment is effective, comfortable, and completely painless.

The Benefits of Endodontic Treatment at Oak Valley Dental

In order to determine whether or not root canal is your best option, Dr. Romero-Shu and his capable team first decide if the disrupted tooth is savable. Our top priority is always to keep your natural teeth in your smile whenever possible.

New and existing patients visiting our practice in need of endodontic treatment can rest assured in their care. We offer root canal therapy as a means to successfully rescue severely damaged teeth, restore proper function, prevent jawbone deterioration, and keep more of your natural smile intact.

What to Expect from Your Procedure

Once we conduct a detailed exam to diagnose the problem, Dr. Romero-Shu and his team consider your full comfort before administering treatment. Part of root canal therapy’s negative reputation stems from the assumption that the procedure is painful; however, this is not the case when receiving care from our team at Oak Valley Dental. We ensure the area is thoroughly numbed, minimizing anxiety and alleviating discomfort.

After we remove the compromised pulp and disinfect the canals thoroughly, a custom-crafted restoration is applied to cover the area to prevent further bacteria from re-entering the tooth.

Contact Us for Restoring Your Smile Today!

Our practice wants to help you alleviate discomfort and maintain a healthy smile for many years to come. Call our Menifee office to see Dr. Marcelo Romero-Shu for comprehensive treatment! We look forward to saving your smile!

More About Root Canal Therapy & Extractions

 Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection.  In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.

Having a root canal done on a tooth is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed.  Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the solution, but what is not realized is that extracting (pulling) a tooth will ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth.

Root canal treatment is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime, although on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated due to new infections.

Signs and symptoms for possible root canal therapy:

• An abscess (or pimple) on the gums.
• Sensitivity to hot and cold.
• Severe toothache pain.
• Sometimes no symptoms are present.
• Swelling and/or tenderness.

Reasons for root canal therapy:

• Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
• Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
• Injury or trauma to the tooth.

What does root canal therapy involve?

A root canal procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist).

While the tooth is numb, a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) will be placed around the tooth to keep it dry and free of saliva.  An access opening is made on top of the tooth and a series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria.  If tooth decay is present, it will also be removed with special dental instruments.

Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it will be sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed.

At the next appointment, usually a week later, the roots and the inside cavity of the tooth will be filled and sealed with special dental materials.  A filling will be placed to cover the opening on top of the tooth.  In addition, all teeth that have root canal treatment should have a crown (cap) placed.  This will protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its full function.

After treatment, your tooth may still be sensitive, but this will subside as the inflammation diminishes and the tooth has healed.

You will be given care instructions after each appointment.  Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your root canal treatment.