Root Canal Treatment

Anytime we can save a tooth we can. As amazing as modern implants are there is nothing like your original tooth.

We have determined that the problematic tooth has enough stable bone and gum tissue to save it.

There are numerous reasons that can trigger a root canal; there may have been decay, or a coronal fracture, or pressure necrosis that caused the nerve to die.

This procedure removes necrotic tissue from inside your tooth. It will clean it and allow us to rebuild it.

Contrary to the usual folklore, we usually do not find root canals to be a painful process.

We Utilize multiple technologies and techniques to keep you and your tooth comfortable. These include ways to visualize then comfortably and effectively clean the material from the center of tooth. Our Advanced Equipment include 3D Dental CT X-rays. Lasers, Rotary instruments and excellent cleaning irrigations.  Usually we take two steps (visits) to complete the root canal component of this restoration.

Step ONE: We remove the nerve and clean the canals. We place a medicated temporary material inside the tooth.

There will be a temporary filling over the site that we opened. At times pieces can chip away do not worry unless you have pain or a strange medicinal taste from the tooth.

Postoperative Instructions:

Day ONE: take medications prescribed which is usually 3 Advil or 2 Tylenol every 6 - 8 hours and antibiotic every 8 – 12 hours depending on the prescription. Even if there is no pain do take the medication for 24 hours minimum it will be anti-inflammatory and help prevent pain.

Day TWO: continue your antibiotic and pain medicine as 3 Advil or 2 Tylenol every 6 - 8 hours if still needed.

Step TWO:

We remove the temporary filling and access and clean the medication from the tooth. Any remaining shaping of the internal portions of the tooth will be completed and a permanent biocompatible rubber material will be cemented inside the tooth.  Usually a separate appointment will be made to place (or replace) a crown and reinforcing post into the tooth. For one day take pain medicine as outlined above in Day ONE. Should pain persist or if pain starts 3 or 4 days later you may need antibiotic.  Please call us as soon as possible and we will call in the appropriate antibiotic and give you new instructions.

In the PAST Root Canals were a challenging and painful procedure. Technology has improved greatly over the years. Our techniques have made leaps and bounds. The procedure can still be challenging as teeth are small and curved. But with the methods we show below we find the process is very well tolerated.  Some of the information below will show you animations as to what we are looking to accomplish and what level of advanced equipment will be employed for a successful outcome.

The iPlus Laser from Waterlase helps to dislodge, kill and remove bacteria that live in tiny places.

The JMorita™ rotary motors we use are small and state of the art. They sense the length of the tooth and in turn minimize the number of X-rays taken of the tooth.

3D CBCT Planmeca Radiographic Imaging System is a high detail image down to 0.07 of a millimeter.