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These are a selection of some common questions that patients have. If your question isn't answered here, please contact our office. It's important to us that our patients understand their dental care.
Root Canal Therapy
No, some people get this confused with the common recommendation that every root canal should have a crown done after. Most crowns do not need a root canal after however.
A small hole is made in the top of the tooth to access the center of the tooth where the nerve is (after numbing of course). The insides of the roots are then shaped and disinfected, removing any nerve tissue in the process. This accomplishes two things, removing the painful nerve, and disinfecting the infected tooth. The roots are then filled. The roots are NOT removed during the procedure, so you still have roots to anchor the tooth in your jaw.
The vast majority of back teeth will require a crown after a root canal. This is because usually, the tooth has had a large filling or a large cavity that has already weakened the tooth. The crown will protect the tooth from fracturing. We will discuss with you your options prior to starting the root canal.
Each root has a canal or tunnel that runs through it which carries the nerve and tiny blood vessels. The full term is root canal therapy which means treatment of the root canal system. The other term you may hear is endodontic treatment or sometimes just “endo” for short. Endodontists are the dentists that specialize in “endo” or root canal therapy.
No! This is the #1 procedure that causes my patients to fall asleep. A small percentage of patients may need additional numbing during the process and this usually takes care of any pain.