Root Canal Therapy in Des Moines, IA

Get the Relief You Need at Hickman Family Dental

Are you struggling with severe tooth pain or an obvious infection? When a tooth becomes infected, immediate action needs to be taken in order to save that tooth and preserve your oral health. While the idea of getting a root canal can seem daunting, the fact is, this simple, relatively easy procedure is often what will save your tooth from extraction.

Here at Hickman Family Dental, we offer root canal therapy at our Urbandale, IA office. We serve many patients from Des Moines and the surrounding areas, and our trusted team of dentists delivers excellent results.

What is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is a restorative dental procedure used to eliminate bacteria from the infected root canal, prevent reinfection of the tooth, and save the natural tooth. Your teeth consist of three layers: the enamel, which is the outermost layer, the dentin, the layer beneath the enamel that makes up the majority of the tooth’s structure, and the dental pulp, which is the innermost layer composed of living tissues housed inside hollow spaces called root canals.

Infection occurs when cracks or holes in your teeth allow bacteria to penetrate the enamel and work their way into the dental pulp. If the infection is allowed to remain untreated for too long, it can render the tooth untreatable and spread to other parts of your body.

Signs you might benefit from a root canal include:

Sensitivity to hot and cold that wasn’t previously an issue
Dental trauma
Damage to the soft tissue and bone surrounding the tooth
Discoloration or darkening of the tooth
Severe tooth pain
Loosening of the tooth
Swollen gums or abscesses on the gums
Difficulty chewing

If you need a root canal in Des Moines, our team consists of the best dentists to handle it for you. Contact us right away so we can help.

Benefits of Root Canal Therapy

The main benefit of root canal therapy is preserving your natural tooth and saving you the trouble of getting a tooth extraction and a tooth replacement. Other root canal therapy benefits include:

Prevents infection of neighboring teeth
Prevents further infection of the teeth, gums, and mouth
Prevents jawbone degeneration
Boosts your oral and overall health
Boosts the aesthetics of your teeth
Simple, virtually painless procedure

The Root Canal Procedure

In need of a root canal? Here’s what to expect:

First, you’ll have a consultation with one of our trusted dentists, Dr. Brad Erickson or Dr. Jacob Krehbiel. Here, you’ll get a thorough examination to determine the severity of your infection. This will help us decide whether root canal therapy is right for you. Once we have determined that a root canal is the best course of action, we’ll get you an appointment right away.

At your next visit, we’ll have you rinse your mouth out to clear it of debris. Then, we’ll administer local anesthesia to numb the area around the tooth so you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. Next, one of our dentists will make a small hole in your tooth to access the root canals.

We will carefully remove the infected pulp, decayed nerve tissues, and other debris. The inner tooth cavity is then cleaned and sealed off to prevent any further infection. The empty pulp chamber and root canals will then be filled with a rubber-based material, and a filling will be placed, sealing your tooth.

Our trusted team will provide you with detailed after-care instructions to ensure you have the best and easiest recovery possible.

When You Need a Root Canal in Urbandale, IA

Tooth pain and infections can be scary, but root canal therapy is extremely effective. If you’re suffering from tooth pain in Des Moines, Urbandale, or the surrounding areas, call us right away at (515) 276-4981. We’d love to help you get the relief you need.

Root Canal Therapy FAQ

Our Urbandale dental team will do everything it takes to ensure your root canal is as painless as possible. We’ll numb the infected area with a local anesthetic so you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. Some soreness is to be expected in the days that follow, but this is usually treated with over-the-counter pain medication.

We encourage you to make your root canal appointment as soon as possible. Untreated tooth infections don’t just affect your oral health—they can spread to other parts of your body including your blood, heart, and brain. They can also damage your other teeth and the rest of your mouth, leading to more expensive dental work down the road.

Most dental insurance plans will cover at least a portion of root canal therapy, as it is considered a restorative procedure. If you have any questions, please discuss your options with our dental team before your procedure. We’d be happy to help go over your benefits as well as our financing options.

Root Canals in Des Moines, IA

Endodontic therapy (root canal) is a treatment modality that will help save diseased or injured teeth.