Serving the Jonesboro, AR community
Root canals are one of the most misunderstood and feared dental procedures, but they shouldn’t be. The fact is that a root canal can extend the life of your tooth by a decade or more, and that is excellent news for you!
Dr. Bartels and his team believe that the more light we shed on this helpful procedure, the less patients will feel stressed about it. So, if you have questions about root canals that need answers, we encourage you to read on.
If you don’t understand root canal treatment, you are not alone. The term "root canal" actually refers to the inner canal of your tooth that can become infected due to decay or a fracture. Underneath the protective enamel and dentin is a chamber inside your tooth that houses your nerve. It is surrounded by tissue called pulp. When decay reaches the inner canal of your tooth, it is very close to your nerve and can feel quite painful, which is why many people associate root canals with pain.
The goal of treatment is to relieve your pain, eliminate infection, and allow you to heal. Your root canal dentist in Jonesboro will gently remove any infected or damaged tissue from inside your tooth, place the medication in your root canal, and seal it to keep out food and bacteria, which could lead to another infection. Then your tooth is given time to heal before Dr. Bartels strengthens it with a dental crown or filling.
A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that s badly decayed or infected. During the root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the 
tooth is cleaned and sealed. This is usually done in one visit. After a couple of weeks, Dr. Bartels will place a permanent crown on the tooth for protection and to restore it to full function. A root canal is a very effective way to save a damaged tooth. Saving your natural teeth is always the best option!
If you experience sudden sensitivity or if you have localized pain, swelling, or tenderness, it is your body’s way of asking you to take notice. This could be indicating an infection in your tooth, and it's essential to get it checked out. Delaying treatment for your tooth could result in more significant problems.
Dr. Bartels may recommend root canal therapy in Jonesboro in these situations:
Keeping your natural teeth is important, and it is still the very best way to maintain your oral health. Tooth loss is more inconvenient and expensive than saving your natural tooth. Additionally, protecting your tooth can preserve precious bone and keep it from resorption, a condition that is common with tooth loss.
Performing root canal therapy also eliminates the infection that can quickly spread to other areas of your body, including your brain, if we don't treat it promptly. Root canals in Jonesboro eliminate pain and infections, while also preserving your natural tooth and protecting your dental health.
Many people often think of root canals as painful, but with new techniques and improved treatment, they are just like every other dental procedure. We want your appointment to feel comfortable, and we encourage you to communicate if something does not feel right. Dr. Bartels is highly skilled and gentle, and we can make adjustments to improve your experience.
After your root canal, you may feel a little sensitivity for a few days until your infection completely disappears, but you should feel steady improvement each day. Once you heal completely, Dr. Bartels will recommend a restoration to protect and stabilize your root canal tooth.
Dr. Bartels attended Arkansas State University, where he earned a bachelor's of science degree in zoology. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at Louisiana State University.
Dr. Bartels is ...
When your dentist in Jonesboro recommends root canal therapy, it is typically to save a tooth that is in distress. Whether it's infected or fractured to the root, you are probably feeling the discomfort. If you put treatment off, thinking that the tooth will get better on its own, the infection can spread, pain typically intensifies, and it ultimately results in tooth loss.
What's worse is that a dental infection could also impact neighboring teeth, so it's essential to treat your tooth as soon as possible to protect your dental health.
At Anthony Bartels DDS Family Dentistry, we are here to help emergency patients get the relief they need, and that often means performing root canal therapy.
If you or a loved one is feeling sensitivity or pain, we encourage you to contact our Jonesboro dental office right away at (870) 932-9911. We leave time open in our schedule to accommodate emergency patients, and we can often provide root canals or other dental treatment the same day if it's necessary.
Even if you've never visited our dental office before, we welcome and look forward to helping new emergency patients feel better and smile with confidence again.
Because your tooth no longer has a nerve, it may become brittle. That means we need to place a restoration on your tooth to protect it.
For some smaller teeth that are not doing most of the chewing, a filling might be sufficient. For your molars and other teeth that absorb a lot of force and day-to-day wear, a crown might be a better option. Either way, Dr. Bartels will make sure your restorative work is attractive, comfortable, and functional.
While many situations are out of our control, there are actually measures you can take to avoid dental treatment like root canal therapy.
Here's an example: Say you visit Dr. Bartels for your routine six-month checkup, and he notices decay in your tooth. Even though you might not be feeling any discomfort, he will probably recommend a dental filling to restore your tooth. If you're proactive and complete your filling right away, your tooth is healthy again and good to go.
However, if you wait or forget to schedule your filling treatment, the decay has time to grow and progress further into your tooth, and it may start feeling sensitive to hot or cold temperatures. Now it's a critical time to call your Jonesboro dentist before the tooth decay reaches your nerve and causes a toothache and infection that would warrant root canal treatment.
Your preventive cleanings and checkups are your best defense against common dental concerns like tooth decay, infections, and gum disease.
If you have any type of tooth pain, or even if it's just time for your next cleaning and checkup, we encourage you to call our Jonesboro, AR dental office to schedule an evaluation.
Whether you need a root canal or some other type of procedure, we can help. Our entire team is professional, compassionate, and friendly. That combination makes any dental experience more enjoyable!
People who have not had root canal treatment usually dread it because they believe the myths. In reality, root canal treatment relieves pain and eliminates swelling. Unfortunately, the infection itself and not the cure causes all the discomfort.
If you’re lucky, your dentist spots an early tooth root infection during ...
Unless caught early during your routine exam, a root infection can be excruciating, resulting in an emergency dental visit in Jonesboro, AR.
If you have a root infection, you may notice tooth sensitivity that worsens over many hours or a few days. You may also notice swelling or a blister ...
A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or infected.
During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp are removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed. This is usually done in one office visit!
After a couple of ...
