Root Canals
Root Canal Treatment in Kearny Mesa
Saving the tooth you still have.
A root canal at our Kearny Mesa office has a worse reputation than it deserves. It is the treatment that takes away the pain and lets you keep a tooth that would otherwise have to come out.
At a glance
- What it is
- Treatment that takes away the pain and lets you keep a tooth that would otherwise have to come out.
- Where
- Kearny Mesa Smile Center, 8018 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111.
- Phone
- (858) 256-4838
- When
- Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
- If you are in pain
- Text (858) 256-4838 and send a photo of the tooth.
- After treatment
- The tooth is protected with a crown at a follow-up visit.
When It ReachesThe Nerve
Inside every tooth there is a nerve. When decay or a crack gets deep enough to reach it, that nerve becomes inflamed and then infected, and the pain that follows is the kind people remember.
The tell is usually sensitivity to hot and cold that lingers after the source is gone, or a deep throbbing that shows up at night. Sometimes it hurts to bite. Sometimes it settles down for a while, which is not good news. A nerve that stops hurting has often simply died, and the infection carries on underneath.
Left alone, this does not resolve. It becomes an abscess, and eventually the tooth has to come out.
How Root Canal Treatment Works
01. Numbing. The area is fully anesthetized before anything starts. Most of the discomfort people associate with root canals is the infection they arrived with, not the treatment.
02. Opening the tooth. Dr. Cortes makes a small opening in the top of the tooth to reach the canals inside.
03. Cleaning and shaping. The infected tissue is removed and the canals are cleaned and shaped.
04. Sealing. The canals are filled and sealed so nothing can get back in.
05. The crown. A root canal removes the nerve and the blood supply inside the tooth. That is what stops the pain, and it is also what changes the tooth. Without a blood supply, the tooth no longer gets moisture and nutrients from inside, so over time it becomes brittle and far more likely to crack under a normal bite.
A crown covers the tooth and holds it together, so the tooth you just saved does not fracture a year later. It is fitted at a follow-up visit.
Before, DuringAnd After
Before your appointment. Eat a normal meal beforehand, and take your regular medications as you normally would. If your physician has you on antibiotic premedication for a heart condition or a joint replacement, take it as directed before you come in. The appointment uses local anesthetic, so you can drive yourself and go back to work afterward.
During. The area is fully numb before anything begins. Most patients are surprised how ordinary it feels, because what hurt was the infection, and the treatment is what removes it.
Afterward. The tooth and the area around it can feel tender for a few days, particularly if there was an infection when you came in. Over the counter pain relief is usually enough, and we will tell you what to take and how much.
Avoid chewing on that side until the crown is placed. The tooth is at its most fragile between the root canal and the crown, and that is the window where teeth break.
Call us if the pain is getting worse rather than better after a few days, if you develop swelling, or if your bite feels high when you close. Those are all fixable and all worth a phone call.
The AlternativeIs Losing It
The realistic choice is a root canal or an extraction. Keeping your own tooth is almost always the better outcome, because nothing replaces a natural tooth quite as well as the natural tooth.
Sometimes the tooth is too far gone to save, and in that case Dr. Cortes will tell you plainly rather than attempting treatment that will not hold. If it comes out, we will talk about replacing it, because a gap causes its own problems over time.
Root Canal Treatment in Kearny Mesa and San Diego
Root canals are done here on Fridays and Saturdays. If you are in pain during the week, text (858) 256-4838 and send a photo of the tooth. Dr. Cortes can often tell you what he is looking at before you come in, and we will hold you the next open day.
The tooth is protected with a crown at a follow-up visit.
If you are hurting earlier in the week and can get to Mira Mesa, our sister office may be able to see you sooner. Dr. Cortes is the dentist at both and practices there Monday through Thursday.
Root Canal Questions
The treatment itself is done under local anesthetic. Most patients say the appointment was easier than the days leading up to it, because what hurt was the infection, and the treatment is what removes it.
The root canal itself is often a single appointment, though some teeth need two. The crown afterward is a separate visit.
Usually, yes, especially on back teeth. A treated tooth is more brittle and a crown protects it from cracking. Dr. Cortes will tell you if your tooth is an exception.
The infection does not clear up by itself. It typically progresses to an abscess, the pain returns worse, and the tooth eventually needs to be extracted. Treating it earlier is easier, cheaper and more likely to save the tooth.
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8018 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111
info@kearnymesasmilecenter.com
Call (858) 256-4838Text (858) 256-4838
Office hours
Friday and Saturday: 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Sunday through Thursday: Closed