Root Canal and Extractions in Sparks NV

Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas)

Nitrous oxide is an odorless, colorless, non-irritating gas which you breathe. Nitrous oxide is administered thru a flavored mask. The concentration is adjusted for each individual to increase their comfort and decrease their apprehension. The affects are immediate, usually within 3-4 minutes. At the end of the procedure, the sedative affect dissapates within 5-10 minutes, allowing the person to leave under there own control.

Root Canal Treatment

Root Canal Treatment is offered in the office of Dr. Bob Mays in Sparks, Nevada. This minimally invasive dental surgery is indicated when the nerve of a tooth becomes infected or damaged due to untreated decay, trauma, fracture or extensive dental treatment. Signs and symptoms that indicate a tooth may need root canal treatment are:

  • Sensitivity to hot and or cold that lingers more than 15-20 seconds.
  • A tooth that aches and or throbs on its own, without any apparent cause, and will come and go sporadically.
  • A tooth that may wake you up at night.
  • Swelling in the gum or jaw next to a tooth.
  • A broken tooth.
  • A discolored tooth.
  • A tooth that is sensitive to biting or pressure.

Root Canal Treatment is most effective if caught and completed early. If the infection has spread too far into the surrounding tissues, then it may not be possible to save the tooth and extraction would be indicated. This is why it is important to seek treatment when symptoms first appear. If a patient waits long enough, sometimes a tooth will stop hurting on its own. Often times this means that the nerve has died but it does not mean the infection is gone.

Root Canal Treatment is very successful and most cases can be treated in one appointment. If the infected tooth has an existing crown restoration that is clinically sound, then a dental filling can be completed to reseal the tooth at the end of the Root Canal Treatment. If the tooth does not have a crown restoration in place or the existing crown restoration is defective clinically, then a new crown is usually recommended to restore the tooth to proper function and help protect the remaining tooth structure from fracturing.

Healing after Root Canal Treatment is usually pretty quick. There can be swelling, bruising and discomfort, mostly right around the infected tooth, for the first two to three days. With more advanced infections, the soreness could extend to the whole side of the jaw where the tooth is located. Usually, within a few weeks, the area feels normal again. If a final restoration in the form of a crown is indicated, this is recommended to be completed within six to eight weeks after the root canal treatment has been completed.

Root Canal Treatment, with Dr. Bob Mays in Sparks, is an extremely successful dental procedure that will retain a tooth that otherwise would need to be extracted.

Extractions (tooth removal)

There are several reasons that a tooth or teeth may need to be extracted. Severe decay, periodontal (gum) disease or fracture of the tooth/root structure may require the removal of the tooth. Evaluation of each case is required to determine the extent of the procedure necessary to remove the tooth or teeth. Referral to an oral surgeon may be indicated in difficult cases.

Root Canal and Extractions