
When people hear the phrase “root canal therapy,” they tend to tense up at first. But many people don’t realize that root canals are not designed to cause discomfort or make your life more difficult. The fact is root canal therapy takes you out of pain, instead of causing it. This common misconception prevents many people from getting the treatment they need. If your tooth is in pain, Dr. Suzanne Najjar can safely and effectively remove decay and restore your tooth’s functions to the fullest. Call our dental office to schedule an appointment for root canal therapy in DeSoto today!
A root canal is a treatment during which the center portion of the tooth, known as the pulp, is extracted. It’s a necessary procedure to save a severely damaged tooth from needing to be extracted. Although root canal therapy is one of the most common restorative dental procedures, it’s usually used as a last resort to save a tooth.
More often than not, your tooth will need to be fitted with a dental crown after your root canal. A crown is a custom-made “cap” that is bonded to a tooth to protect it from future damage. Since your tooth will be vulnerable after root canal therapy, it never hurts to add a little extra protection.
One of the most common signs that you need a root canal is moderate to severe discomfort in your tooth. However, that’s not the only symptom to keep in mind. Dr. Najjar, your dentist in DeSoto, will confirm if a root canal is necessary during your detailed exam, but if you experience any of the following symptoms, get to our dental office as soon as possible:
To begin your procedure, we numb your mouth with a powerful local anesthetic, and possibly even sedation, to ensure your comfort. We then create a small hole in your tooth, through which we extract the damaged pulp along with the nerve. After we clean the inside of the tooth, we replace the inner portions with a synthetic material called gutta-percha. Once the tooth is sealed back up, we take an impression, which we then use to design your dental crown. Until it’s ready, we can place a temporary crown to protect your tooth in the meantime.
Are you in severe dental pain? Schedule an appointment with us so we can determine whether root canal therapy is just the treatment your smile needs.
How much does a root canal cost? The cost of your root canal will be different than what someone else will pay for their procedure. Although it might seem unreasonable for there to be different prices for this type of treatment, the reason the cost varies is that each case is unique. The factors our team considers during your scheduled consultation will determine what kind of out-of-pocket expenses will be necessary to save your tooth from extraction.
During your scheduled consultation with our team at Amaze Dental, our dentists will use the following factors to identify the severity of your existing tooth damage and what kind of cost can be expected:
Tooth extraction is often a suggestion that many patients bring up during a consultation; however, the reason our team does not recommend this approach is for several reasons:
Opting for a root canal means you get to keep your natural tooth and avoid the long-term expense that is often required with tooth replacement. Not to mention, root canal treatment is highly successful.
Most dental insurance companies will provide partial coverage for root canals; however, you should plan to review your policy or ask a member of our team before agreeing to start treatment. The average percentage of coverage can range from 50-80% in most cases, but whether you’ve met your deductible and how much of your existing annual maximum remains are two factors your insurance company will consider before paying their portion.
At Amaze Dental, we are pleased to partner with CareCredit Financing to make paying for a root canal more affordable. Instead of being forced to pay out of pocket for the entire price of your procedure upfront, you can enroll in a plan that offers low- or no-interest so that you can pay down the total balance over time. It works similarly to a credit card, allowing you to focus on caring for your smile as opposed to putting off treatment because you cannot afford it.
If you’ve never received root canal therapy before or you’re helping a family member better understand the procedure, you probably have multiple questions you’d like to address beforehand. At Amaze Dental, we always take the time to go over the steps of treatment so you know exactly what to expect, but we also encourage you to look over our frequently asked questions for root canal therapy below. Your answer just might be there! If not, feel free to call us directly.
Not only is root canal therapy a perfectly safe treatment to complete, but it’s performed by dentists and endodontists millions of times every single year. It’s the most effective treatment for resolving severe dental infections that put teeth at risk of needing an extraction. As long as you take proper care of the treated tooth going forward, your tooth should last for many years without concern.
Just like with any significant dental treatment, you can expect your tooth to feel a little sensitive for the next few days. This feeling should go away after a day or so and can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers. However, you will need to avoid chewing tough foods on that side of your mouth until the permanent restoration is placed. At your follow-up appointment, we’ll discuss how to take care of your treated tooth, ensure the infection is gone, and confirm the area is healing properly.
The best way to reduce your risk of your treated tooth from becoming damaged further is to practice consistent at-home oral care. This includes brushing twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste as well as flossing at least once a day to remove plaque from the sides of teeth. It’s recommended that you visit our office once every six months so we can examine not just the condition of your oral health, but the tooth that received root canal therapy.
In most cases, root canal therapy should only take about an hour to complete. Alternatively, situations where multiple root canals need to be completed can increase the length of treatment to as long as two hours. However, our office will take as much time as we need to ensure all of the damaged portions of the pulp are removed so the infection does not come back.
While it is true that removing inner sections of the tooth will weaken its overall structure, we take the necessary steps to ensure it remains durable and lasting for years to come. This includes placing a dedicated restoration on top of the treated tooth. The alternative is your tooth continues to break down and require extraction anyway, which is why it’s best to complete a treatment that works to save the root portion and reinforce the crown, rather than take out the tooth entirely.