Usually, a root canal takes from 1-2 hours, depending on the complexity. Sometimes, a root canal will take multiple appointments due to retreating a previous root canal, placing medication inside of the tooth to help get rid of bacteria, or if the anatomy is very difficult. We strive to make sure you receive the finest treatment possible.
We will take every measure to ensure that your procedure is in no way uncomfortable or painful. If treatment is needed, we will place a small amount of anesthesia to gently numb a concentrated area of your mouth. For most patients, the feeling of numbness usually subsides after 2-3 hours.
Yes, for most root canal treatments, we recommend that patients return to the office one year after the procedure was finished. Our office will send a reminder notice to you when you are due for a recall appointment.
The procedure of a root canal is the process of removing inflamed or necrotic (dead) tissue from the space within the tooth. During this process it is disinfected to reduce the number of bacteria as much as possible. After the canal space is cleaned and dried, it is filled with a root canal filling material to minimize the re-entry of bacteria.
The roots of your tooth are not removed. The inside of the roots are cleaned and the rest of the root is left to support the tooth.
What constitutes life is a great question for a philosophy class, and if you argue that the tooth was never alive, then it is possible that it could never die. Your tooth will no longer be sensitive to hot or cold, but it will still have feeling due to the bone and ligament that hold your tooth in the jaw.
Your jaw may be sore and your lip may be numb, but you should be in good shape to continue your regular schedule. It should be no different than getting a large filling or a crown.
In most cases, you will be referred back to your general dentist who will assure the tooth has an adequate permanent restoration. Most back teeth will require a crown if there is not already one in place. In most cases your referring dentist will request that we place a temporary filling in the access cavity after treatment. Some dentist request that we place a permanent filling instead of a temporary filling to assure the tooth is adequately sealed. We will assure that you are informed of the next step in your dental treatment.
If you have received a temporary in our office, and your root canal is completed, I recommend getting the permanent filling within 2-4 weeks.
If you already have a crown, most of the time the root canal will be done through a small opening in the top. Your dentist will need to repair the opening after your root canal is completed. A new crown may be indicated if there are imperfections that do not lead to predictable dental health.
Crowns with porcelain (tooth colored crowns) are susceptible to fracture. This happens less than 5% of the time. If the porcelain fractures in a way that the crown is no longer functional or esthetic, then replacing the crown may be necessary.
Nitrous oxide sedation is offered in this office.
If you feel that you need something to calm your anxiety, please request a consultation appointment prior to treatment so that all areas of your care can be evaluated.
We will submit your claims to your insurance company. We do not participate in all capitation plans. Call us so that we can help you determine the cost of your care.
One reason for not participating in some insurance plans is that they simply will not reimburse at an acceptable rate. Some companies reimburse specialists and generalists the same amount. This is unacceptable when you consider that the complexity (and therefore the time required) of cases treated by a specialist is much greater than those treated by general practitioners. Some reimburse at rates much under our cost!
Though the care you receive in our office is not affected by the type of insurance you have (or don’t have), we have had to limit ourselves to those companies that recognize and reimburse for the quality care we render.
