Non-Surgical Root Canal

What is a root canal?

A root canal is a simple treatment that saves a tooth when its pulp has become infected. The pulp is at the center of your tooth and is a collection of blood vessels, tissues, and nerves that help 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. Various symptoms of the infection may include visible injury or swelling of the tooth and sensitivity to temperature or pain in the tooth or gums.

For your convenience, we provide this information to help our patients understand root canal treatment. Root canal therapy is not performed in our office. When root canal treatment is needed, we will evaluate your tooth and refer you to a trusted endodontic specialist for appropriate care.

How is a root canal performed?

If you experience any of these symptoms, we will evaluate your tooth and, when appropriate, recommend referral to an endodontic specialist for root canal treatment. During a root canal, the injured pulp is removed, and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed. This therapy is usually completed in one or more visits, depending on the extent of the treatment required. Success for this type of treatment occurs in about 90% of cases.

Root canal treatment is typically performed using local anesthesia to eliminate discomfort. Your endodontist will discuss additional sedation options, if indicated. Most patients are able to drive home after treatment and comfortably return to normal activity right away. If your tooth is not amenable to root canal treatment or the chance of success is unfavorable, the endodontist will discuss the appropriate treatment options with you.

What happens after root canal treatment?

When your root canal therapy has been completed by the endodontist, we can help coordinate the next step in restoring your tooth. A follow-up restoration may be recommended within a fe