If you're about to have your first root canal treatment, you might be feeling pretty apprehensive about the whole thing, especially given all the stories floating around. Well, don't worry, with dental advances and local anesthetics, most people have little if any pain with a root canal. In fact, it's probably more painful living with a decayed tooth. Root canal alternatives include extracting the damaged tooth and replacing it with a dental implant, bridge or removable partial denture.
The root of the problem
At the center of the tooth, a pulp chamber and canal system house living tissues which include blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues. When pupal tissue becomes inflamed or infected, the tooth will send out pain signals. The causes could be deep tooth decay, repeated large fillings replacement, traumatic damage such as crack, chip or even tooth fracture. Once the pulpal dies, the pain may subside initially, then sometimes returns as a painful infection spreading into the surrounding tissues.
If the damage to the tooth structure is not too extensive, root canal or endodontic treatment will be necessary to save the tooth. The procedure includes the removal of diseased and dead pulpal tissue, then shaping the canals, and cleaning out with antiseptic and antibacterial solution. Finally, the canals are sealed by a rubber-like material. A temporary filling will be placed to seal the access hole that was made to treat the canals.
Restoration of a root canal treated tooth
After the root canal treatment, the tooth needs a definitive restoration of a filling, then a crown to replace the lost tooth structure, and to provide a complete seal to the top of the tooth. Filling (buildup) and crown restorations are very important procedures to prevent re-contamination of the canals with bacteria from the mouth and fracture of the tooth.
Cost of root canal treatment
Cost of root canal treatment will be case/ patient specific. We can provide a general price range for your convenience, however, you need to book an appointment for examination with the dentist for treatment options.
