Procedures
- Why Do I Need a Root Canal?
- Diagnosis
- Root Canal Treatment
- Root Canal Retreatment
- Surgical Root Canal Treatment
Tooth Anatomy
Root Canal Treatment
At the center of your tooth is pulp, a collection of blood vessels that helps to build the surrounding tooth. Infection of the pulp can be caused by trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks and chips, or repeated dental procedures. Symptoms of the infection can be identified as visible injury or swelling of 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 root canal treatment to eliminate the diseased pulp. This injured pulp is removed and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed. This therapy 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.
We use local anesthesia to eliminate discomfort. You will be able to drive home after your treatment, and will probably be comfortable returning to your normal routine. 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.