Endodontic Treatments
We combine modern technology and expertise to make endodontic fun, uplifting and nonthreatening for the patients we serve.
A root canal is one of the most common dental procedures performed, well over 14 million every year.
At Amirad Family Dentistry, our team strive to save your natural teeth and prevent the need of dental implant or bridges with the latest advanced treatments such as:
Root canal, root canal re-treatment and endodontic surgery called Apicoectomy.
Root canal treatment or (RCT) is a treatment sequence for the infected pulp of a tooth which is intended to result in the elimination of infection and the protection of the decontaminated tooth from future microbial invasion.
To understand root canal treatment, it helps to know something about the anatomy of the tooth.
Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is a soft tissue called the pulp .
The pulp contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue and creates the surrounding hard tissues of the tooth during development.
The pulp extends from the crown of the teeth to the tip of the roots where it connects to the tissues surrounding the root. The pulp is important during a tooth’ growth and development.
However, once a tooth is fully mature it can survive without the pulp.
Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp, the soft tissue inside the root canal, becomes inflamed or infected.
The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes:
Deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth or a crack or chip in the tooth. In addition, an injury to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks.
If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess. Because unlike other parts of the body. When the pulp tissue is exposed and contaminated, it is unable to heal and protect itself, so the pain begins to increase with increased blood pressure in the pulp chamber if it is not heeded, leading to necrosis and death and eventually becomes infected and the abscess will be seen.
In order to save the tooth, a dentist removes the pulp (the living tissue inside the tooth), bacteria, and any decay, cleans, disinfects and shapes the root canals.
Finally the resulting space is filled with special, medicated dental materials, which restore the tooth to its full function.
At Amirad Family Dentistry, we use one of the most technologically advanced root canal systems (DENTSPLY ). With this system, we can start and finish your root canal in one appointment a lot more relaxing and the outcomes more successful.
We highly recommend placing a crown on posterior teeth which have undergone root canal treatment as with the removal of pulp and blood supply, tooth becomes brittle and is more prone to cracking with heavy bite forces.
To learn more about Root Canal Treatment (RCT) please click on Learn more about RCT.
When does the tooth need root canal treatment?
There are a few symptoms that mean you might need a root canal:
• Deep decay or darkening of the gum.
• Severe tooth pain during sleep.
• Severe pain while chewing or biting.
• Persistent and chronic pain after tooth stimulation with cold or heat.
• Pimples on the gums
• A chipped or cracked tooth
• Abscess around the tooth in relation to the root
• Observation of the lesion at the root end in radiography
• Severe tooth pain that only heals with the cold
What are the root canal steps?
Endodontic Treatment involves the following steps:
1- The dentist examines and takes a radiograph of the
tooth using x-rays, then administers local anesthetic.
After the tooth is numb, the dentist places a small
protective sheet called a “dental dam” over the area to isolate the tooth and keep it clean and
free of saliva during the procedure.
2- The dentist makes an opening in the crown of the teeth.
very small instruments called as “file” are used to clean the pulp from
the pulp chamber and root canals and to shape the space for filling.
3-After space is cleaned and shaped, the dentist fills the root canals with a
biocompatible material, usually a rubber-like material called “gutta-percha”. The gutta-percha is placed with an adhesive
cement to ensure complete sealing of the root canals.
In most cases, a temporary filling is placed to close the opening.
4-After the final visit for RCT, the temporary filling will be removed by
your dentist to make a crown or other restoration placed on the tooth to
protect and restore it to full function.
If the tooth lacks sufficient structure to hold the restoration in place,
your dentist may place a post inside the tooth.
Is the root canal treatment painful?
Many endodontic procedures are performed to relieve the pain of toothaches caused by pulp inflammation or infection. With modern techniques and anesthetics. Most patients report that they are comfortable during the procedure.
For the first few days after treatment, your tooth may feel sensitive, especially if there was pain or infection before the procedure. This discomfort can be relieved with over-the-counter or prescription medications. Follow your dentist’s instructions carefully.
Your tooth may continue to feel slightly different from your other teeth for some time after your endodontic treatment is completed.
However, if you have severe pain or pressure or pain that lasts more than a few days, call your dentist.
Will a tooth turn black after a root canal?
Sometimes after a root canal, the tooth can become slightly discolored or develop spots called intrinsic stains, where the tooth bleeds internally and the inner part of the tooth turns yellow or dark.
Luckily, the tooth can be whitened afterward through internal (non-vital) bleaching.
Does the endotically treated tooth need to be crowned?
Needing a crown after a root canal depends highly on the location of the tooth in the mouth, teeth towards the back of the mouth like molars and premolars are needed more for chewing, and generally require crowns, where incisors or canines which aren’t needed for chewing don’t always require crowns.
But in the front teeth sometimes we have to crown the teeth because of the darkening of the tooth and cosmetic issues.
How much will the root canal procedure cost?
The cost varies depending on how complex the problem is and which tooth is affected. Molars are more difficult to treat; the fee is usually more. Most dental insurance policies provide some coverage for endodontic manner.
When a root canal treatment fails, the first course of action that is usually taken is
root canal re-treatment.
Root canal treatment can fail due to the following:
• Canals were not cleaned and filled properly during first treatment.
• Small, curvy, and difficult to see canals could have been missed.
• New decay may have formed in the tooth infecting the root canal.
• A crack or fracture may have formed in the tooth.
• Permanent restoration was not completed in proper time after root canal treatment.
The process is very similar to root canal treatment.
During re-Treatment, the affected tooth is reopened to gain access to the root
canal filing. This may require disassembling
crowns, posts and other restorative materials in order to reach the root of the tooth.
The filling material from the initial procedure is removed and the canals are thoroughly cleaned. Using magnification and illumination, the area will be
carefully examined to detect possible additional canals or unusual areas.
After the canals are cleaned, the tooth is again filled with gutta-percha, and the canals are sealed. A temporary filling is placed in the tooth. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The anesthesia also helps patients relax.
A follow-up appointment will be needed to permanently restore, using crown
or other material, the tooth, allowing it to function fully, and protecting it against
future infection or decay.
After root canal re-treatment, patients may experience pain, discomfort and tenderness for a few days. Patients are advised to avoid biting and chewing on
the affected side.
A root end surgery, also known as Apicoectomy is an endodontic surgical procedure where by a tooth’s root tip is removed and a root end cavity is prepared and filled with biocompatible material.
An Apicoectomy is necessary when conventional root canal therapy has failed and a re-Treatment was already unsuccessful or is not advised.
In this procedure, the dental surgeon opens the gum tissue near the tooth to see the underlying bone and to remove any inflamed or infected tissue. The very end of the root is also removed.
A small filling maybe placed in the root to seal the end of the root canal, and a few stitches or sutures are placed in the gingiva to help the tissue heal properly.
Over a period of months, the bone heals around
the end of the root.
Sometimes, for better healing, the bone cavity is filled with grafting material (GBR).
Other surgeries dental surgeons might perform include dividing a tooth in half; repairing an injured root, or even removing one or more roots.
At Amirad Family Dentistry we will be happy to discuss the specific type of surgery your tooth requires.