Kingstone Chichung Shih DDS

Endodontist | Endodontics

505 South Drive Suite 10 Mountain View CA, 94040 Show map

About
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About

Dr. Kingstone Shih received his BA in biological science from UC Berkeley, his DDS from UC San Francisco School of Dentistry, and his certificate of endodontics from Temple University. He is a past president of the Mid-Peninsula Dental Society, and taught at the UC San Francisco School of Dentistry.

Education and Training

University of California, San Francisco DDS 1994

Temple University School of Dental Medicine Certificate in Endodontics 1996

Provider Details

Male Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian

Kingstone Chichung Shih DDS

Kingstone Chichung Shih DDS's Expert Contributions

My Answers

Is dry socket a type of infection?
By definition, a dry socket is when you have a tooth extracted, and a membrane does not completely form over the hole (socket) where the tooth came out of, the bone is exposed to air and dries out. Strictly speaking, it is not an infection because theoretically there is no bacteria involved, but you should definitely contact and make an appointment with the doctor who extracted your tooth to have it looked at to determine the best course of action. READ MORE
How do you know if a cavity needs a root canal?
A root canal is necessary when the nerve inside your tooth had been injured to a point that it can no longer heal. You should make an appoint with an endodontist, who can perform pulp tests and take xrays to determine whether you need a root canal. READ MORE
How long does a root canal take?
If the root canal is done by a qualified endodontist, it should take between 60 and 90 minutes. READ MORE
How do you heal tooth nerve damage naturally?
You have not provided enough information for me to determine the condition of the nerve inside your tooth. A damaged nerve may or may not be able to naturally. You should visit and endodontist , who can then perform pulp tests to determine if the nerve in your tooth has reversible or irreversible damage. If the damage is reversible, he will explain to you the best way to give your nerve the best chance to heal. READ MORE
Can a decaying wisdom tooth cause headaches?
It is definitely possible that a decaying wisdom tooth could cause headaches. You should make an appointment with your dentist, who can perform a thorough examination and take xrays to determine what is going on and the best way to resolve your issue. READ MORE
How long after a root canal can I eat?
You can usually eat the same day of your root canal, but you should wait until all the anesthetic has worn off. However, it is a good idea to avoid chewing directly on the tooth which had the root canal for at least a few days, as it is normal for it to be a little tender or sore. This should eventually go away. If the tooth needs a crown after the root canal, be careful not to chew on anything hard until you get the crown, or else there is a risk that the tooth could crack. READ MORE
What happens if a root canal fails?
If a root canal fails, it is possible that you may have pain or discomfort in the tooth, swelling in the gum, infection, or it is even possible that there could be no signs or symptoms at all. If a root canal fails, sometimes it can be fixed by retreatment, surgery, or it is also possible that the tooth may need to be extracted. Without knowing more details of your specific case, it is impossible for me to run through all the possible scenarios. You should consult with the dentist who will be doing your root canal and address your concerns with him or her. READ MORE
How should I deal with the pain of a root canal?
It is not unusual to have some discomfort after a root canal. It's completely normal for the tooth to be a little tender to chewing for a week to 10 days after a root canal, and possibly longer if it needs a crown. The best way to deal with the pain is to avoid chewing on the tooth and to take pain medication. If the pain lasts longer than a few weeks, you should return to the dentist who did the root canal and have it checked. READ MORE
Can an x-ray show if you need a root canal?
An X-ray alone may or may not determine if you need a root canal. You should make an appointment with your dentist for the X-rays and a complete examination including pulp testing to determine if you need a root canal. READ MORE
What happens when abscess ruptures?
An abscessed tooth will need either a root canal or to be extracted, depending on whether it is salvageable. You should schedule an appointment with a dentist to have proper xrays and examination to determine the best course of action. READ MORE
Can an infected root canal tooth be saved?
Sometimes root canals need to be retreated. You should schedule an appointment with your dentist to have the tooth examined and xrayed to see what the best course of action will be. READ MORE
Is it normal for a tooth to hurt after a filling?
It's not unusual for a tooth to be a little sensitive to pressure or temperature after a filling. If this lasts more than a few weeks, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist to determine the best course of action. READ MORE
Do I need a root canal if there's no pain?
Pain is not the only criteria that determines whether a tooth needs a root canal. Sometimes there is no pain, or the nerve in the tooth could already be dead, in which case you may not have any pain. However, it would be a mistake to ignore this, as a tooth with a dead nerve will eventually get infected and cause you pain at a later time. READ MORE
Should I get a second opinion about having a root canal?
Symptoms are not the only criteria to determine if a tooth needs a root canal. If you are having any doubts, you should schedule an appointment with an endodontist, who can perform specialized pulp testing and take necessary xrays to confirm or rule out if you need a root canal. READ MORE
Broken molar with decay. What should I do?
You should make an appointment with your dentist and schedule a complete examination and xrays to determine the degree of cracking, and to determine what the best course of action will be to address the problem. READ MORE
Can a tooth hurt after a root canal?
It is not unusual for a tooth to be a little sore or tender a week after a root canal. This usually goes away, but if it lasts more than a few weeks, you should visit your dentist and have it checked out. READ MORE
Will cavities require root canals?
A tooth with a cavity does not necessarily always need a root canal. If the nerve inside of your tooth is still healthy, you should be able to have the cavity filled. However, if the nerve inside of your tooth is damaged to the point that is no longer able to return back to a healthy condition, you may need a root canal. READ MORE
Does a dead tooth always need a root canal?
If the pulp inside of your tooth is dead, you should either have a root canal or have the tooth extracted. It is not a good idea to leave a dead nerve inside of your tooth untreated. READ MORE
Do they put you to sleep for a root canal?
A root canal can usually be done while the patient is awake. However, in rare instances, if the patient is extremely apprehensive, a second doctor (anesthesiologist) may be able to put you to sleep before you have the root canal. READ MORE
How many visits does a root canal take?
A root canal can usually be completed in one or two visits. READ MORE