About Root Canal Therapy
The phrase "root canal" carries an old reputation it no longer deserves. Modern root canal therapy is a comfortable, routine procedure that ends a toothache rather than causing one. Inside every tooth is a soft core of nerve and blood vessels called the pulp. When deep decay, a crack or an injury lets bacteria reach the pulp, it becomes inflamed and then infected, producing the throbbing, temperature-sensitive pain that brings most people to our door. Left untreated, the infection spreads into the bone, forms an abscess, and eventually costs you the tooth.
Root canal therapy removes the infected pulp, cleans and disinfects the narrow canals inside the roots, and seals them so bacteria cannot return. The tooth is numbed completely before we begin; most patients say the procedure felt no different from a filling and that their pain was gone by the next day. Because a tooth without its pulp becomes brittle, the final step is protecting it with a crown, which in our office can often be made the same day with CEREC.
Saving your natural tooth is almost always preferable to removing it. An extracted tooth needs to be replaced with an implant or bridge to prevent the shifting and bone loss that follow, and even the best replacement is not quite as good as the tooth you were born with. A root canal and crown typically cost less than an extraction and implant, and the tooth can serve you for many more years.
Dr. Lance Carter is a general dentist who performs root canals on teeth suited to treatment in a general practice. Endodontics is a recognized dental specialty, and some teeth, particularly molars with unusual anatomy, calcified canals, or a history of previous treatment, are best handled by an endodontist. When that is the case we will tell you at the diagnostic visit and coordinate the referral, then complete the crown here once the root canal is finished.
Benefits
- Ends the pain of an infected or inflamed tooth
- Saves the natural tooth instead of extracting it
- Comfortable with modern anesthesia and technique
- Often completed in one or two visits
- Same-day CEREC crown available to protect the treated tooth
Is it right for you?
Patients with a severe or lingering toothache, sensitivity to heat that persists, pain when biting, swelling near a tooth, a pimple-like bump on the gum, or a tooth that has darkened after injury. A tooth with a deep cavity that reaches the nerve, or a cracked tooth where the crack has not extended into the root, is usually a good candidate. Teeth with vertical root fractures, extensive bone loss, or too little remaining structure may not be saveable, and Dr. Carter will explain when an extraction and replacement is the wiser path.
What happens, step by step
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Exam and X-ray to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate the roots
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Thorough numbing and placement of a protective rubber dam
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Small opening in the tooth and removal of the infected pulp
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Cleaning, shaping and disinfecting the canals
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Sealing the canals and placing a temporary or permanent filling
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Crown to protect the tooth, often at the same or next visit
What to expect at your visit
Plan on 60 to 90 minutes. After a thorough numbing, a small rubber dam isolates the tooth to keep it clean and dry. You will feel pressure and vibration but not pain; if you feel anything sharp, raise your hand and we add anesthetic. Dr. Carter cleans and shapes the canals with fine instruments, disinfects them, and fills them with a rubber-like material. A temporary or final filling closes the tooth. Soreness for a few days is common and responds well to over-the-counter pain relievers. Most patients return to work the same or next day.
Why choose Regency Dental Group
We treat root canals as pain relief first. Emergency patients are seen the same day during office hours, and Dr. Carter's priority is making you comfortable before anything else. He is candid about which teeth he treats in the office and which are better served by an endodontist, and he does not attempt cases that a specialist should handle. Because CEREC is in the office, the crown that completes your treatment can often be made the same day, so you are not walking around with a weakened tooth and a temporary. Oral sedation is available for anxious patients. We are in network with Delta Dental of California, Cigna, MetLife and Dental Benefit Providers.
Aftercare
Avoid chewing on the tooth until the crown is placed. Take pain relievers as directed for tenderness. Call us if swelling increases, pain worsens after the third day, or the temporary filling comes out. Schedule your crown promptly; a root-canaled tooth without a crown is at high risk of fracture.
Cost, insurance and timing
Root canals are typically covered as a basic or major service depending on your plan, and the crown is billed separately as a major service. We provide a written estimate for both. Front teeth cost less than molars because they have fewer canals. If your tooth is referred to an endodontist, that office bills its own fee and we bill only for the crown.
Frequently asked questions
Does a root canal hurt?
No. The tooth is fully numbed. The procedure relieves the pain of infection; some soreness for a few days afterward is normal.
How many visits does a root canal take?
Usually one, sometimes two if the infection is severe. The crown may be made the same day with CEREC or at a follow-up visit.
Do you do root canals in your office or refer them?
Dr. Carter treats teeth suited to a general practice. Complex cases are referred to an endodontist, and we complete the crown afterward.
Is it better to pull the tooth?
Saving the tooth is almost always better and usually less expensive than extracting and replacing it. Dr. Carter will tell you if your tooth cannot be saved.
Dr. Lance Carter is a general dentist licensed by the Dental Board of California. Services on this page that are associated with a recognized dental specialty are provided by a general dentist who is not a licensed specialist in that field. When a case is better served by a specialist, we say so and coordinate the referral.
The information on this page is general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. Outcomes vary by patient. Please schedule an exam to discuss your specific situation.