Root Canal Therapy

Dentists use the term “root canal” in referring to the tiny, narrow passageways that branch from a central, hollow space in your tooth (called the pulp chamber) down to the ends of the tooth roots. The term can also be used as a shorthand for “root canal treatment” — that is, the procedure used to save the tooth if the soft tissue deep inside of it (called pulp) becomes acutely inflamed or infected.

If tooth pulp becomes acutely inflamed or infected because of decay or injury, the tissue will need to be removed in order to save the tooth and stop the infection from spreading. As an adult, you don’t actually need the pulp — its primary use is to aid in tooth development during childhood.

Yes, 0% finance is just that. Paying off your treatment over 12 months or less, you simply pay for your treatment and nothing else. You pay no interest on the loan amount. Your total treatment cost is simply divided over the number of months you wish to pay it off, up to a maximum of 12 months.

The procedure normally causes no more discomfort that a filling would. Root canal treatment may have a bad reputation, but it is undeserved; in this case it’s the disease that’s to blame and not the cure. In other words, the infections that make the treatment necessary in the first place are often painful because they are inflaming tissue that has lots of nerves and therefore is very sensitive. Root canal treatment actually relieves this pain!

Keep your teeth decay-free by brushing and flossing every day. Eat a healthy diet low in sugar and avoid acidic beverages such as soda. Have regular professional cleanings and exams. And if you’re active in sports, consider ordering a custom-made mouthguard to protect your teeth from injury.

The objective of root canal treatment is to save your teeth; if the condition is left untreated, the tooth will eventually need to be removed. If you wish, you can fill the gap with an implant or denture – but the natural tooth is always preferable in terms of functionality.

Act sooner and not only do you get to keep your teeth but you will save yourself pain along the way: if the pulp inside the root becomes inflamed, an abscess may form and this can become extremely painful.

If you decide against having a root canal done, the only other alternatives are natural tooth loss or having your infected/damaged tooth extracted. This is not the recommended course of action to take because a lost or pulled tooth will leave a gap in your smile which will prompt the adjacent teeth to shift out of alignment in an effort to close that gap. This can hamper your ability to chew food properly which can lead to problems with digestion. And, since misaligned teeth are more difficult to clean, you could end up with tooth decay or gum disease to cause even more problems that can be painful and costly to treat.

You may have some tenderness or mild discomfort when biting down that can last for a couple of days following your treatment. You can take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain reliever like ibuprofen according to package instructions to relieve you of any discomfort you feel. We recommend chewing on the other side until a permanent restoration such as a crown is placed on top of the treated tooth.