Root Canal Therapy

Root Canal Therapy

Root canal therapy is needed when the nerve of a tooth is affected by decay or infection. In order to save the tooth, the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), nerves, bacteria, and any decay are removed and the resulting space is filled with special, medicated, dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.

Having a root canal done on a tooth is the treatment of choice to save a tooth that otherwise would die and have to be removed. Many patients believe that removing a tooth that has problems is the solution, but what is not realized is that extracting (pulling) a tooth will ultimately be more costly and cause significant problems for adjacent teeth.

Root canal treatment is highly successful and usually lasts a lifetime, although on occasion, a tooth will have to be retreated due to new infections.

Signs and symptoms for possible root canal therapy:

• An abscess (or pimple) on the gums.
• Sensitivity to hot and cold.
• Severe toothache pain.
• Sometimes no symptoms are present.
• Swelling and/or tenderness.

Reasons for root canal therapy:

• Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
• Infection or abscess have developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
• Injury or trauma to the tooth.

What does root canal therapy involve?

A root canal procedure requires one or more appointments and can be performed by a dentist or endodontist (a root canal specialist).

While the tooth is numb, a rubber dam (a sheet of rubber) will be placed around the tooth to keep it dry and free of saliva. An access opening is made on top of the tooth and a series of root canal files are placed into the opening, one at a time, removing the pulp, nerve tissue, and bacteria. If tooth decay is present, it will also be removed with special dental instruments.

Once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, we take additional steps to clean out all of the infection by flushing the canals with Ozone and then running the LANAP laser in the canals to further kill any bacteria. Then the tooth is sealed with either a permanent filling or, if additional appointments are needed, a temporary filling will be placed.

All teeth that have root canal treatment should have a crown (cap) placed. This will protect the tooth and prevent it from breaking, and restore it to its full function.

After treatment, your tooth may still be sensitive, but this will subside as the inflammation diminishes and the tooth has healed.

You will be given care instructions after each appointment. Good oral hygiene practices and regular dental visits will aid in the life of your root canal treatment.

### 🔄 5. Treatment may fail

Sometimes the procedure doesn’t fully resolve the issue:

* Pain or infection returns months or years later
* May require retreatment or extraction

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### 💰 6. Cost & multiple visits

* Can be expensive, especially with a crown
* May require more than one appointment

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## 🚨 When to call your dentist after a root canal

Seek help if you notice:

* Severe pain lasting more than a few days
* Swelling in your face or gums
* Fever
* Bad taste or discharge

These could signal **Dental Abscess** or another complication.

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## 🧠 Important perspective

Despite these warnings:

* Root canals have a **high success rate (often 85–95%)**
* They’re usually the best way to **save a natural tooth**
* Alternatives (like extraction) can lead to bigger issues later

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## 👍 How to reduce risk

* Get a **crown** after the procedure if recommended
* Maintain good oral hygiene
* Follow all aftercare instructions
* Don’t delay treatment if your dentist says it’s needed

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If you want, I can compare root canals vs. extraction (pros/cons), or tell you how painful they *actually* are compared to the myths.