Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Dr. Marcelo W. Mattschei, DDS –
Most of the time, if you have tooth decay or a cavity, a dentist can fill it with a metal or resin filling and the tooth is better. Sometimes, however, the decay is too deep for the dentist to restore with a filling and requires a root canal. Root canals are also performed on teeth that have become abscessed. After a root canal is performed, a crown is often placed on the tooth.
When performing a root canal, the dentist uses a local anesthetic so that you don’t feel anything during the procedure. Then the tooth is isolated using a rubber dam. A rubber dam is a piece of latex stretched over a U-shaped frame. The dentist works on your tooth through a hole in the rubber dam. This protects the tooth from contamination from saliva, and also prevents you from swallowing the small instruments involved in the root canal procedure.
After drilling a small hole in the biting surface of the tooth, the dentist uses small nickel titanium or steel files to remove the nerve tissue from your tooth. When all of the tissue is out, slightly bigger files are used to widen the canals. Then the canals are filled with a synthetic material called gutta percha and a temporary filling is placed in the original hole that was drilled.
Benefits of a Root Canal
The benefits of a root canal are a cessation of pain and a chance for any bone or tooth abscess to heal. If your tooth was sensitive to hot, cold or sweet foods before, it will not be after your root canal therapy. The reason for this is that the inflamed nerve tissue is removed during the root canal, so it is not able to transmit feelings of pain from hot, cold or sugar. You may be given an antibiotic to take to help your abscess, if any, clear up after the root canal is completed.
Misconceptions about a Root Canal
Many people have the misconception that root canal therapy is very painful. You are given enough local anesthetic to keep you comfortable during the procedure. After the root canal is done and the anesthetic wears off, you may have some soreness for a few days from biting pressure, but it is tolerable and lasts only a few days.
Some patients who have never had a root canal before think that a root canal is actually oral surgery. During root canal therapy, you will not have your gums cut at all. The dentist will do all of the work through the access hole in the biting surface of the tooth.
Crown Procedure
After the root canal is complete, the dentist may recommend a crown to protect the tooth from breakage and decay. First, an impression of your teeth is taken. During this procedure, you bite into a soft material that will harden around your teeth. When it is hardened, the dentist will take it out of your mouth and it will be sent to a laboratory. The impression helps the lab technician make the crown in the same shape and position that your original tooth was.
Next, the dentist will prepare the tooth for the crown. Once the tooth is prepared, a crown will be fabricated and placed on your tooth with permanent cement. Following a crown you should not experience any problems with that tooth.
Dental Crown in an Hour offers root canal and crown services starting at just $495! Call (239) 330-3666 to schedule an appointment today!
Dr. Marcelo W. Mattschei, DDS
Dr. Mattschei is not your typical dentist. He started off with modest means. Both his parents immigrated to the U.S. in their teens. The old world virtues of a simple life are evident to this day in his practice style and approach towards healthcare.
He grew up in the Tampa Bay Area. Where he attended Jesuit High School and later graduated from the local college, The University of South Florida. As early as high school he cultivated a passion of helping others through his leadership in student government, fraternity and civic organizations.
A tradition he continued at Marquette University School of Dentistry, as class president. While studying to be a dentist, he had the opportunity to further his calling to providing low cost care to the underserved of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Upon graduating, he continued to offer affordable care as a resident of Waterbury Health Center Hospital in Connecticut.
These experiences provided the cornerstones to the vision for “Dental Crown in an Hour.” Dr. Mattschei wants patients to be able to fix their broken and painful teeth. He is making this possible by lowering the cost and time barriers traditionally associated with treatment.
