When is a Root Canal needed Compaired with an Implant?

May 26, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

At The Gentle Dentist located in Shelby Township, Michigan we perform both root canals and place and restore dental implants so I would like to say that we are completely objective when it comes to decision making.

Root Canals are used to save teeth when the nerve tissue becomes infected. When cavities develop so deep into the nerve the bacteria from the mouth  penetrates into it and creates pain and eventual infection.  This destruction of the nerve tissue creates throbbing pain, pain from hot or cold or pain to biting down.  The infected nerve tissue may develop an abscess which can cause swelling around the tooth.

Root canals are usually the first line of treatment with teeth to save them.  Extracting teeth that are infected is also an option to eliminate pain, but the problem is how to replace the missing space.  This is where implants come into play.

Implants are titanium cylinders that are inserted into the jaw bone.  They can have crowns placed on them to restore the missing space where a tooth was previously placed.  Implants are used if a root canal fails and it is not practical to retreat the root canal.

Root canals and dental implants are both used to restore or replace the missing spaces between teeth. They both stimulate the bone to prevent the bone from shrinking.

If you are not certain if a root canal or implant is needed for your care please call our Shelby Township Dental office at 586-247-3500 or visit us at www.thegentledentist.com.

Filed Under: Dental Implants, Mouth pain, root canals, Tooth replacement Tagged With: , , , ,

Shelby Dentist: Endodontic Surgery to save an infected root canal tooth

December 9, 2010 by · Leave a Comment

Providing Dental Services n Shelby Twp. Michigan and in the Sterling Heights area, Dr. Antolak has a wide variety of dental procedures that he is capable of doing including saving teeth that may need to be removed.  The following video shows such a dental procedure.  There is some graphic video present so if you are squeamish about blood than you may not want to watch this.

When a root canal fails you may develop drainage  and swelling at the end of the root and into the cheek area.  The drainage is puss and is a sign of an infection.   This swelling can come from a lack of coverage over the crown of the tooth and bacteria enters the root, contaminates the root canal filling and enters the bone.  It can also fail due to a fractured root,  poor fill or for a number of reasons.

The pressure from the puss will create a hole in the bone and then balloon out the soft gum tissue.  This usually will require extraction and replacement with an implant.  Sometimes under the right circumstance it may be possible to have this dental procedure done to save the tooth.
If you have any questions you can call our Shelby Twp. dental office at 586.247.3500.

Filed Under: Dental Surgery, Dental Videos, General Dentistry, Health Implications, Mouth pain Tagged With: , , ,

Periodontal gingival grafting procedure to cover recession

August 19, 2009 by ·

The gum tissues around teeth play an important role in the health of the mouth and teeth.  The teeth are supported into the jaw bone and are connected by very small elastic fibers that connect the teeth to the bone.  This gives the teeth ability to move slightly when loaded and also gives the nerves the ability to sense position and pressure.  The gum tissues that wrap around the bone and forms a sleeve that surrounds the neck of the tooth.  This sleeve creates an impermeable seal to keep bacteria out.  When the sleeve shrinks from recession it leaves the tooth at risk for an

  • infection
  • food impaction
  • periodontal disease
  • sensitivity to cold and hot

In this video Dr. Antolak performs a gingival graft on his mother to cover the root surface of a lower tooth that is at risk for potential problems. Similar to this photo the tissue is harvested from the hard palate and sutured to cover up the root surface and giving her a more predictable safety net for many years of service.

If you have recession, sensitivity and root exposure then this gingival surgery may be for you.  This procedure is actually safe because the graft comes directly from the patient.  There is a little discomfort on the palate, but we fabricate a very thin cover that protects the roof of the mouth where the graft is taken.  People say is feels like burning your mouth on hot cheese from pizza.  The graft usually takes around 6 weeks to heal so it is necessary to be very careful during the healing phase especially on the gum area where the graft is sutured in place.  If you have questions then give Dr. Antolak a call at (586)247-3500 or visit the web site at www.TheGentleDentist.com.

Dr. Antolak serves patients in the Shelby Twp, Macomb Twp, Rochester Hills and Sterling Heights area in a very relaxing high-tech dental office.

Filed Under: Dental Hygiene, Dental Surgery, Dental Videos, Periodontal Disease Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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