Root Canal Treatment

Item: Fort Bend Dental
Rating: 5
Author: Ranch and Farm Lands

If you are experiencing pain, sensitivity, or tooth discoloration, you may have a root canal infection.

Timely root canal treatment can help you avoid tooth loss, as well as the need for more costly, extensive dental work in the future.

At Fort Bend Dental in Richmond, Grand Parkway, and Missouri City, TX, our dentists perform your root canal comfortably and efficiently.

Everything You Want To Know About Root Canal Treatment at Fort Bend Dental

How We Make Root Canal Treatment Easier On Patients

At Fort Bend Dental, we use advanced tools that are typically only found in endodontic practices specializing in root canal therapy. For example, we use cone beam computed tomography (CT) scans to precisely evaluate your case and plan treatment. During the procedure, we use dental microscopes for incredible accuracy. This minimizes the risk of complications and ensures our patients' health and comfort. Plus, we offer:

What Is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is a type of endodontic treatment that is performed when a cavity and bacterium advance beyond the outer structure of a tooth to the inner pulp, where infection can spread rapidly in the soft tissues, nerves, and blood vessels. A root canal procedure may also be necessary after a tooth injury, such as cracking a tooth, which can make it more vulnerable to infection.

During the procedure, our dentists will remove the infected pulp and fill the canals with a compound that will protect the tooth from further damage. Lastly, we will place a protective crown over the affected tooth.

Do I Need a Root Canal? Common Symptoms

Some patients might not experience any symptoms until the infection has advanced, which is why regular dental checkups are crucial for preventative care. When symptoms do present themselves, they often include:

Increased sensitivity to heat and cold, even after the source of the heat or cold is removed
Discoloration of the tooth
Swelling and discomfort in the surrounding area
The development of a pimple-like sore near the infected tooth

Diagnosing a Root Canal Infection

During your exam, our dentists will identify the source of the pain by taking x-rays and CT scans of the teeth and surrounding structures. This allows us to accurately determine how many teeth need repair. If you do need root canal treatment, our dentists will determine the level of urgency and schedule your root canal appointment accordingly.

The Root Canal Procedure

Our Missouri City, Grand Parkway, and Richmond dentistry offices provide convenient care for patients throughout Fort Bend County. When you visit us for a root canal, you can expect the following stages of treatment.

Though the procedure is widely thought to be uncomfortable, you can expect it to feel comparable to having a cavity filled.

Preparation

Your doctor will first numb the site with local anesthetic to ensure your comfort, and then place a rubber dam around the tooth to keep the area dry.

Eliminate Infection

Next, your dentist will create a small hole to access the pulp chamber in order to remove the damaged tissue from the root canals. There will no longer be a living nerve in that specific tooth, which means it will not be temperature-sensitive. However, this does not affect the long-term health of the tooth.

Filling the Root Canals

The dentist will fill the tooth with gutta-percha, a rubber compound. If we are concerned about infection, we may also administer medicine at this stage to keep the area clean and healthy.

Crown Placement

The last steps are preparing the tooth for a crown and placing the restoration. This may require an additional office visit if your doctor needs to have a custom crown created for your tooth. If he cannot place the custom crown the same day, he will place a temporary crown.

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"The most wonderful experience going to the dentist."

Fort Bend Dental has some of the best staff I have ever encountered. They took their time to make sure I was very well taken care of. The office was clean and the location was very easy to find. My implant surgery with Dr Jabbour went smoothly and I left a happy patient!

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Jennifer at the front desk was so wonderful along with Dr Kenner and her assistant Kim. The most wonderful experience going to the dentist… I look forward to my appointments… would recommend everyone to come see them… you will truly be

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Meet Dr. Shen Endodontist

Dr. Zhen Shen is a board-eligible endodontist.

Dr. Shen received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He later graduated Magna Cum Laude and received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Harvard School of Dental Medicine. After dental school, Dr. Shen completed his residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Dentistry at Houston, where he received his certificate in Endodontics and Master of Science in Dentistry degree. He recently joined the Fort Bend Dental team as the root canal specialist.

In addition to serving the Fort Bend community, Dr. Shen teaches dental students Endodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Dentistry at Houston and also serves as the reviewer for multiple academic research journals. He is a member of the OKU National Dental Honor Society, American Association of Endodontists, American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, and Greater Houston Dental Society. In his spare time, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two children, traveling with family, and playing chess with his kids.