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.
Reasons for root canal therapy:
- Decay has reached the tooth pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth).
- Infection or abscess has developed inside the tooth or at the root tip.
- Injury or trauma to the tooth.
Root Canal Warranty
Endodontic Treatment (Root Canals)
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Endodontic treatment can take 1, 2, or 3 appointments depending on the case. It is possible to experience any of the following symptoms after any of these appointments: sensitivity to hot and/or cold; sensitivity to pressure; possible swelling. If you experience swelling, please call our office immediately as additional medication may be required.
One common occurrence with a newly root canaled tooth is for the tooth to feel high when you bite your teeth together. If this occurs it will cause your tooth to stay sensitive for a longer period of time. Please call us if your bite feels "high" as this problem is easily rectified with a simple bite adjustment.
A temporary filling may be used to temporarily seal the tooth between visits. It may flake away a little bit and this is OK. If the whole "plug" comes out, either replace it immediately, or call us so we can replace it for you.
The gum tissue could have been irritated during the procedure and may be sore for a few days together with the anesthetic injection site.
During endodontic treatment, the nerve, blood, and nutrient supply to the tooth is removed. This will cause the tooth to become brittle and prone to fracturing which could result in the need to extract the tooth. A crown or onlay is recommended to prevent this from happening.
Proper brushing, flossing, and regular scheduled cleanings are essential to the long-term stability of your teeth.
Warranty
- Do root canals always work? NO! A root canal is a therapy not a cure. It has a high success rate but almost 4% of them fail. If your root canal fails within a period of 1 year from the date of service, we will either refund the cost of your root canal or retreat your failed root canal. In addition, if the tooth cannot be saved, the cost of the crown placed in our office will be refunded during that 1-year period.
- This warranty is null and void if the patient does not maintain their scheduled continuing care cleaning appointments.