If you have a toothache in Cibolo that won’t go away, you may be wondering if you need a root canal, and if you can qualify for same-day emergency dental care from Dr. Niraj Patel at Cibolo Family Smiles. In this article, the team at Cibolo Family Smiles will explain everything that you need to know.
In most cases, a dental emergency is any dental health condition that is causing you serious pain, oral bleeding, or discomfort, and that you do not know how to treat on your own.
This means the category of “dental emergency” is broader than you may think. Dental injuries like knocked-out and damaged teeth obviously count as emergencies, but so do pulled-out crowns and fillings, serious toothaches, bleeding gums, and a wide variety of other conditions.
Under the above definition, an infected tooth that needs root canal therapy counts as a dental emergency. A tooth infection can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. And if it’s left untreated, the infection will continue to spread throughout your tooth. This can result in the death and the loss of your tooth.
For these reasons, infected teeth are serious dental emergencies, and you can contact an emergency dentist in Cibolo like Dr. Niraj Patel for immediate same-day care.
The most common sign of a tooth infection is a prolonged, painful toothache that lasts 1-2 days or longer without getting better. You may also notice that your tooth feels more sensitive to the pressure of chewing, or when you consume hot and cold foods and drinks.
Gum discoloration near the infected tooth is also quite common. In rare cases, you may even notice swelling of the face or cheek near your infected tooth, or develop a fever. If you notice these issues, contact an emergency dentist in Cibolo like Dr. Niraj Patel right away to get help with root canal therapy.
First, Dr. Patel will examine your tooth and may take x-rays to determine if your tooth is infected, and to determine the extent of the infection. Then, he will begin developing your root canal treatment plan.
Next, your mouth will be cleaned and numbed, and you can be sedated, if necessary. Then, Dr. Patel will use a dental drill to remove decayed enamel from the tooth, and to create a small hole in the tooth’s surface.
Through this opening, he will extract decayed and infected material from the interior of the tooth. Then, he will flush and sanitize the tooth, and fill it with a rubber-like substance called “gutta-percha,” which replaces the pulp and strengthens the tooth.
Finally, your tooth will be sealed with a filling or a temporary crown, depending on the location of the tooth. If you get a crown, you will need to come back for a follow-up appointment to have a permanent dental crown placed and fitted.
If you have a toothache in Cibolo and think you need a root canal, don’t delay. The sooner you get emergency care, the more likely it is that Dr. Patel will be able to save your tooth and prevent further complications. Contact us at (210) 797-7740 to get the same-day care you need in Cibolo.