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Root canal or Extractions

Root Canal Therapy

Root canals have a bad reputation; however, the popular opinion of root canals as being very painful is an outdated one. With modern techniques and technologies, Dr. Allen Tam performs endodontic treatments with patients surprised and thought it is comparable to just getting a dental filling.

Do I Need a Root Canal?

A root canal can be used to treat many different ailments of the tooth and may be necessary in several different circumstances. You may need a root canal if:

What these circumstances have in common is that they could all lead to a breaching and infection of the inside of the tooth, also known as the pulp. The tooth’s nerve could also become infected.
Unfortunately, these are not the only instances in which you may need a root canal. In fact, some infections of the tooth could go unnoticed for years. Symptoms of infection may include:

Only an experienced dentist like Dr.Tam can officially determine the need for a root canal. He will listen carefully to your symptoms, evaluate your condition, and take x-rays to determine if endodontic treatment is necessary.
Dr. Tam use a rotary endodontic method. The use of rotary endodontics represents an advancement in technology that can greatly increase the efficacy of root canal therapy. Dr. Tam saves natural teeth using root canals.

Restorations After Root Canals

Because your tooth no longer has a nerve, it may become brittle. That means we need to place a restoration on your tooth to protect it. For some teeth that are not doing most of the chewing, a filling might be fine. For your molars and other teeth that absorb a lot of force and day-to-day wear, a crown might be a better option. Either way, Dr. Tam will make sure your restorative work is attractive and comfortable.

Do You Have Tooth Pain?

If you have any type of tooth pain, we encourage you to call office to schedule an evaluation. Whether you need a root canal or some other type of procedure, we can help! Our entire team is professional, compassionate, and friendly. That combination makes any dental experience more enjoyable.

Extraction of teeth is something that we all would like to avoid.  Dr. Tam’s practice philosophy is to avoid the loss of teeth whenever possible.  Extractions might be necessary when:

Periodontal Disease — Gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss. This chronic infection causes damage to the tissue and bone that support your tooth. Dr. Tam offers effective treatment options for gum disease and will work with you to remedy the illness before it leads to tooth loss. If, however, the condition has been allowed to advance to an extreme state, the tooth may need to be removed.

Severe Decay
 — You may need a tooth removed if it has experienced advanced decay that is beyond the point of being repaired with a root canal or other treatment. Removing your tooth is important in this circumstance because decay can lead to an infection, or abscess, at the tooth’s root. Without extraction, the infection could fester and spread.

Crowding
 — You may need a tooth pulled if you have an overly crowded mouth. Removing one or more teeth could help prepare your mouth for orthodontic treatment.

Trauma
 — If you’ve had a bad injury to your tooth, it may need to be extracted. Removal of the tooth is sometimes necessary if the tooth has broken.
Though it may be necessary to have a tooth removed, you don’t have to live with a gap in your smile forever. Talk to Dr. Tam about our tooth replacement options to determine which solution is right for you.



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