Root Canal Therapy
What is a root canal?
A root canal is one of the most common dental procedures performed, well over 14 million every year. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the needfor dental implants or bridges.
At the center of your tooth is pulp. Pulp is a collection of soft tissue, nerves, and blood vessels that help to build the surrounding tooth. Deterioration of the pulp can be caused by trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks and chips, or sometimes the cause is unknown. Symptoms of this deterioration can be identified as visible injury or swelling around the tooth, sensitivity to temperature or pain in the tooth and gums.
If you experience any of these symptoms, your dentist will most likely recommend treatment to eliminate the diseased pulp. This injured pulp is removed and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed. This therapy involves local anesthesia and may be completed in one or more visits depending on the treatment required. 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 or when a complication becomes 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.
Endodontic Presentation
To provide you with a better understanding of endodontic therapy, we have provided the following multimedia presentation. Many common questions pertaining to root canals are discussed.
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What happens after treatment?
When your root canal therapy has been completed, a record of your treatment will be sent to your restorative dentist. You should contact their office for a follow-up restoration within a few weeks of completion at our office. Your restorative dentist will decide on what type of restoration is necessary to protect your tooth. It is rare for endodontic patients to experience complications after routine endodontic treatment or microsurgery. If a problem does occur, however, we are available at all times to respond. Continue to practice good dental hygiene.
How much will it cost?
The cost associated with this procedure can vary depending mostly on which tooth is affected. In general, endodontic treatment is much less expensive than tooth removal and replacement with an artificial tooth.