Frequently Asked Questions

The reputation root canals have for being painful traces back decades, to a time when the practice may have been more primitive, a point the American Association of Endodontists makes directly. These days, modern technology and better anesthetics mean most patients describe a pain-free experience with very little discomfort. Our doctors also walk our patients through every procedure, which goes a long way toward easing anxiety.

Thanks to today's cutting edge technology, one or two office visits is all most root canal procedures take. Keep in mind, though, that the length of the procedure and how many appointments you need will vary with each patient and their specific factors.

A root canal infection can be cured only one way: by manually removing the infection from the canal of the tooth. Antibiotics still have a role, since they can suppress symptoms such as biting pain before the root canal and may even help prevent post treatment pain. What they cannot do is cure the infection itself. The source sits inside the tooth where there is no blood supply, so there is no mechanism to deliver the antibiotics to the source of infection.

No evidence supports the idea that root canals cause any type of illnesses. The evidence actually points the other way: people who have had root canals are no more at risk for developing illness than people who have not had a root canal.

Pain is not always the signal, and a tooth can require root treatment even when there is no pain at all. Dentists and endodontists are trained to test a tooth and determine if the pulp has been infected or damaged. Once a pulp has been infected or damaged, a root canal is necessary to save the tooth.

Insurance will pay for all or most of your treatment in many cases. Have all of your information ready when you call to make your appointment, and we will be able to provide you with more information.

What endodontic therapy costs comes down to a variety of factors, with the severity of the damage to the tooth chief among them. As a rule, saving an infected tooth is much more cost effective than letting the infection spread or removing the tooth and replacing it with an artificial tooth.

Because most treatments are performed using local anesthetic, whose effects do not impair driving, you can usually head home on your own. The exception is oral sedation: patients utilizing it will need a driver to bring them to and from their appointment on the day of their procedure.

For your comfort, you may be given prescriptions for antibiotics, anti-inflammatories or pain medications. Since every patient is different, any prescriptions will be adjusted to suit your specific needs.

Proper eating and chewing functions depend on keeping your natural tooth for as long as possible. Paired with an appropriate restoration, endodontic treatment is a cost-effective way to treat a tooth that is in need, and it is less expensive than extracting and replacing it.

It helps to remember that endodontic treatment has a very high success rate, and many root canal treated teeth last a lifetime! By contrast, placement of a bridge or a dental implant will require significantly more time in treatment and may result in further procedures to adjacent teeth and supporting tissues.

All over the world, millions of endodontically treated teeth are still healthy and serving their patients even decades after treatment! Those patients chew efficiently and maintain the natural appearance of their smiles. Working together, endodontists and dentists worldwide are able to save their patient's natural teeth for a lifetime!

Now and then, however, a tooth simply cannot be saved. Should that happen, our doctors are qualified to offer the option of removal and replacement with a dental implant.

Making an appointment with our doctors after your root canal is very important. Once the root canal is complete and the pulp is removed, your tooth is at risk for fracturing. A permanent restoration from your general dentist will protect your tooth from fracturing and becoming contaminated. For that reason, our doctors advise you to return to our doctors within 3 weeks after your root canal.

We take x-rays only when necessary to provide the best treatment possible. Our advanced x-ray system is digital, putting out radiation levels up to 90 percent lower than the already low dose traditional dental x-rays. When indicated, these digital x-rays can be printed, optimized, and emailed to our doctors.

Once your root canal therapy has been completed, a record of your treatment will be sent to your restorative dentist. Plan to contact their office for an appointment within 3 weeks of completion at our office, since your restorative dentist will decide 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. Should a problem occur, however, our team are available at all times to respond.