Root Canals

Dr Jeffrey Ellenberg provides all general and family dentistry services in Clearwater Florida including root canals and ongoing dental hygiene for you and your family. Also treating patients in Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, and Largo

What is a root canal?

A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or infected. If you have a diseased tooth or an infected nerve, you may need a root canal. 

A tooth can become inflamed or infected for several reasons, including severe tooth decay or a cracked/ chipped tooth. Bacteria can “leak” into the dental pulp of your tooth and can cause infection.

Once infected, the dental pulp begins to die and the body tries to fight this infection causing inflammation. The combination of the infection and the inflammation can cause significant pain for your teeth and mouth.

Symptoms that you may need a root canal

Sometimes no symptoms are present; but general signs to look for to indicate that you may need a root canal include:

• Prolonged sensitivity or pain to heat or cold
• Tooth pain when chewing
• Discoloration or darkening of the tooth
• Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums
• A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums

What happens during a root canal?

A root canal procedure involves tooth disinfection and the removal of all debris from the tooth’s pulp and canals. Once an affected tooth's canals are sufficiently cleansed and shaped, they are filled with materials designed to prevent pain and infection from recurring.

Contact Dr. Ellenberg to schedule your routine dental exam or to see if you may need to have a root canal