What You Didn’t Know about Root Canals

The word root canal alone is enough to make most dental patients nervous, but this important dental procedure is clouded by misconception. Patients see root canals as an inconvenience, but the truth is that they are highly vital in the fight to help patients keep their natural teeth and prevent the progression of damage caused by dental infection.

Because we understand that root canals can be intimidating, we’re here to dispel common misinformation with the following truths about root canal therapy:

Treatment is More Comfortable than you Expect

Root canals are recommended to reverse the effects of a tooth infection. Many patients don’t realize that the pain of a tooth infection far outweighs the often-discussed and so-called discomfort of a root canal. It’s also important to note that, by the time teeth have become so affected that a root canal is necessary, the nerves and tissue inside teeth (called the pulp) are “dead” -- performing a root canal therefore does not affect live nerves that trigger pain. With the addition of a local anesthetic, root canal therapy is a more painless experience than patients give it credit for.

Broken Teeth May Require Root Canal Therapy

Dental pain caused by a tooth infection can lead patients into a dental office ASAP for care, but many patients may not think they need immediate attention for a chipped or cracked tooth. However, if damage to a tooth was moderate enough, it’s possible that bacteria are given access to inner systems of teeth, which is what causes a tooth infection. Patients who do not seek dental treatment for an injury to teeth may notice their tooth begin to look gray or darkened over time, which is the sign of deadened pulp.

Get a Root Canal -- Keep your Teeth

Without a root canal, bacteria that cause dental infections can continue to move through the root systems of teeth, damaging it beyond repair and even affecting bone beyond the roots of teeth. While this is a worst-case scenario, damaged teeth that are not treated in time can require extraction. When teeth are treated with a root canal as soon as possible, harmful bacteria can be removed, and your tooth can be protected and restored with a crown, so it can remain a part of your smile.

Questions about Root Canals? Contact our Thunder Bay Dentist

Our dentists, Drs. Mao and Lau, are here to address any questions or concerns you may have about root canal therapy. Contact ABA Dental Clinic to learn more about this procedure.

Why Choose 3D Dentistry?

The way your dentist plans your treatment is an important part of final outcomes. While traditional dental equipment, such as X-ray imaging, can help your dentist pinpoint problem areas and carry out an appropriate procedure, advancements in technology have made diagnosing problems and completing care an even more streamlined and efficient process.

ABA Dental Clinic utilizes 3D CAD/CAM, or computer-aided design and milling, to scan your smile before treatment and plan how to meet your health need. This technology also allows our dentists to complete procedures in a way that produces improved oral health and aesthetics. 3D dentistry is most useful in the following treatment areas:

Implant Placement Surgery

Implant treatment success is closely tied to where and how implant posts are placed. When implants are embedded in areas of dense bone, it becomes easier for them to merge with tissue and act like real teeth. 3D imaging helps Drs. Mao and Lau find locations along your jaw arch where bone is most dense, placing implants in an area, and at an angle, that promotes longevity of treatment results. Placing dental implants without the precision of detailed imaging can be something of an educated guessing game, but these 3D treatment aids help create clear images from which our dentists can plan your procedure.

Chair-Side, One-Visit Crowns

With life-like 3D images of your smile used to plan treatment, Drs. Mao and Lau can also fabricate dental prosthetics in-office. The 3D technology integrates with specialized CAD/CAM software and equipment so that a machine can use the blueprint of a 3D modeled crown to mill your restoration out of a block of tooth-colored material. 3D treatment planning helps to create a comfortable and secure fit for your dental treatment and also allows our dental team to oversee all parts of the treatment process, from planning, to fabrication, and placement of your permanent restoration. This process also cuts down on the time patients have to wait to receive their prosthetic.

3D Dental Technology at ABA Dental Clinic

The precision, clarity, and convenience provided by 3D dental technology helps our Thunder Bay dentists provide patients with treatment that helps to improve health, function, and aesthetics. For more information on the benefits of 3D dental care at ABA Dental Clinic, contact our office today.

Crowns vs. Onlays: Treatment Options for Dental Restorations

When it comes to treating teeth that have been compromised due to decay, cracks, chips, or accidental injury, patients have restorative treatment options. In many cases, the choice is between a dental crown or an onlay. While a dental crown is made to replace the majority of the top part of a damaged tooth, an onlay is like a puzzle piece that replaces only the decayed portions of teeth, which typically includes one of the outer walls of teeth.

At ABA Dental Clinic, we offer patients the benefit of sturdy, in-office dental crowns. In contrast with onlays, dental crowns provide:

Strength and Longevity

Your teeth should be cared for in a way that allows them to last as long as possible, preventing or delaying the need for extraction. While onlays replace only the decayed parts of teeth, in the event of severe damage, dental crowns may better help seal out decay and prevent the spread of bad bacteria to other healthy teeth. Because adding a crown requires that much of your natural tooth structure above the gum line be buffed down to accommodate the prosthetic, crowns are a good choice when that dental enamel cannot and should not be left untreated. 

Utilizing a full coverage restoration provides the most benefit for protecting remaining natural tooth structure. Dental crowns help to stop the spread of severe decay with a dental crown helps to restore function and aesthetics and protects the structure of teeth below the gum line, which can also be damaged by bacteria if not treated properly.

Same-Day Crowns with 3D Scanning and Milling

Depending on the extent of damage to affected teeth in your smile, our Thunder Bay dental office can provide tooth-colored dental crowns with CAD/CAM technology. After going over your options for care, and our recommendations to protect the health of your smile in the long run, we can create your new dental crown in just one office visit.

For more information on whether a crown would be most suitable for your needs, contact ABA Dental Clinic to speak to a member of our team.