Root Canal Treatment in Long Beach

Root canal treatment is a routine dental procedure that removes infected pulp deep inside a tooth. A root canal relieves pain and helps you maintain optimal oral health by preserving natural tooth structure. 

At Golden Coast Dental Care, your treatment is in the best hands with our experienced endodontist, Dr. Darren Smolkin. When you choose a knowledgeable specialist like Dr. Smolkin, you can count on high-quality, skilled care and the best possible results. 

Root Canals Are Not Painful!

Contrary to popular belief, a root canal is not painful or difficult! Imagine that you have the worst possible toothache, but when you get to your dentist's office, they numb the tooth, and the pain is instantly gone. 

That's exactly what happens with root canal treatment. Our endodontist will address the underlying cause of the toothache while the tooth is numb. You won't feel pain because you can't feel pain, thanks to strong modern anesthetics. 

As the anesthetic wears off over several hours, you may experience soreness, but the excruciating pain is gone for good.

Signs You May Need a Root Canal 

The following symptoms indicate you may need root canal treatment.  

• Severe tooth pain
• Sensitivity to hot and cold foods and liquids
• A dark or discolored tooth
• Swelling of the gums
• A persistent or recurring pimple on the gums
• Pain when chewing or biting

You may be tempted to postpone treatment, and we understand dental anxiety can have that effect. The problem is that the infection and your pain will only worsen. At a certain point, the tooth will become unsalvageable, and our only option will be to remove it.

On the day of your procedure, we'll ensure you're settled comfortably in your chair. Then we will numb your tooth, and  Dr. Smolkin will access the inside of the tooth to comfortably and efficiently remove infected or inflamed pulp.

He cleans and shapes the inside of the canal before filling it with a biocompatible material called gutta-percha that helps prevent re-infection. The final steps are sealing the tooth and placing a temporary filling to protect it while it heals. 

Root Canal Recovery and Aftercare 

It’s common to experience some soreness in the area for a day or two after treatment as your tooth heals. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen will provide the prompt relief and comfort you need.

After about two weeks, you will return to Golden Coast Dental Care so Dr. Smolkin can check the tooth. He works with our general dentists, who will recommend a dental crown or final filling be placed on the tooth to strengthen and protect it.

Types of Root Canal Treatment 

Dr. Smolkin offers several advanced endodontic procedures at our Long Beach, CA, dental office. 

Root Canal Re-Treatment

Sometimes a root-canaled tooth needs to be retreated due to reinfection. The benefits of re-treatment are pain relief and prevention of further decay or damage to the tooth.

Apicoectomy

An apicoectomy is an advanced form of endodontic treatment that involves removing the tip or apex of the root and surrounding tissue. Dr. Smolkin typically recommends this treatment to treat persistent infections within the root canals. The benefits of an apicoectomy include relieving pain and restoring the tooth’s natural anatomy.

Surgical Root Canal

A surgical root canal involves removing diseased or damaged pulp tissue from a tooth using surgical instruments. The benefits are improved access to root canals, permanent removal of infected tissue, and improved healing of surrounding tissues.

Do You Need Root Canal Treatment?

If you are experiencing tooth pain or other symptoms mentioned above, please call Golden Coast Dental Care. We offer prompt emergency dental care for root canal pain and will see you as soon as possible to resolve your situation. Please call our Long Beach, CA, dental office at (562) 421-8401, so we can help you.