Root Canal Therapy

What is a root canal?

Root canal treatment is one of the most common dental procedures performed, well over 14 million every year.  This simple procedure can save your natural teeth and prevent the need of dental implants or bridges.

At the center of your tooth is pulp.  Pulp is a collection of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues that helps to build the surrounding tooth. Infection can enter of the pulp by tooth decay, trauma, cracks, or repeated dental procedures.  Symptoms of the infection can include lingering pain to hot or cold, sensitivity to pressure, and swelling of the gum surrounding the tooth.  If you experience any of these symptoms, your dentist will consider you may have root canal disease in a tooth. 

Following an examination and confirmed diagnosis of an infected pulp, conventional root canal treatment is most often recommended.  This infected pulp is removed and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed.  This therapy usually involves local anesthesia and most often completed in one or two visits depending on your type of root canal disease and complexity of your case.  Success for this type of treatment occurs in about 90% of cases. If your tooth is not amenable to endodontic treatment or the chance of success is unfavorable, you will be informed at the time of consultation, on occasion, complicating factors only become evident during or after treatment.  You will be able to drive home after your treatment, and you probably will be comfortable returning to your normal routine.

 

 

 

    

 

     

What happens after treatment?

When your root canal therapy has been completed, a report with x-rays, will be sent to your referring dentist.  You must contact their office for a follow-up restoration as soon as possible, no longer than 4 weeks.  Your dentist will decide on what type of restoration is necessary to protect your tooth.  The majority of endodontic patients experience no complications after conventional endodontic treatment or surgery.  If a problem or concern does occur, we are available at all times to respond.  To prevent further decay, practice good dental hygiene and see your general dentist for routine examinations.