Dental Services: From Checkups to Root Canals

To maintain optimum oral health, routine visits to your dentist are a must. Two annual appointments are recommended for simple procedures such as cleanings and diagnostic X-rays. While performing these basic services, the dentist will look for any signs of tooth decay, cavities, and gum inflammation.


Intraoral X-rays allow dentists to thoroughly evaluate any physical problems with the teeth that aren't clearly visible with the naked eye. Bite-wing X-rays are often used by dentists to plan fillings and other restorative services such as sealants. If a patient complains of aching pain that's felt deep in the tooth, then periapical X-rays might have to be done. Such radiography generates detailed images of the nerves under a tooth. Inflammation and infection of the surrounding jaw bone would be clearly visible on the X-rays. After carefully evaluating the scans, the dentist might recommend procedures like a root canal treatment to address problems found.

The purpose of a root canal procedure is to save a tooth from gradual disintegration that would ultimately require extraction as the only option for relieving intense pain. A root canal procedure is also known as an endodontic treatment, which focuses on saving the pulp that lines the lower portion of a tooth. Inflamed pulp and other damaged tissue is carefully removed during the procedure. The final touch of a root canal service may involve filling the cavity, or the installation of a permanent crown.