What Is a Root Canal?
A “root canal” procedure is one of the most common dental procedures with over 15 million performed every year. This treatment is the best option to save your natural tooth when the tooth nerve becomes damaged and can no longer heal itself due to inflammation or infection. Root canal success rates are high, in fact, one study followed 1,462,936 teeth treated with initial root canal therapy and it found that 97% of the teeth were retained at their 8 year follow up appointment.
When you undergo a root canal (also called endodontic therapy), your tooth is profoundly numbed. Endodontists are specialists in managing dental pain and delivery of local anesthesia which allows the procedure to be completed pain free and typically in a single appointment. Once numb, the inflamed or infected pulp (aka nerve) is removed and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected then sealed with a biocompatible material to aid in prevention of future re-infection. In some cases of extreme infection or calcification Dr Heyse will place an antibiotic paste inside the tooth and a second visit may be required to remove the paste and seal the tooth.
After completion of the root canal procedure Dr Heyse will place a temporary restoration in your tooth to prevent leakage inside the tooth until you see your general dentist. Dr Heyse recommends you return to your general dentist within 3 weeks to have the temporary seal removed and a permanent restoration placed to better seal and strengthen so that it can continue to function like any other tooth.
Post operative healing is typically very fast with most patients experiencing only minor post- operative discomfort which can be managed with over the counter tylenol or ibuprofen. In some cases an antibiotic may be required to aid in healing the tooth. Dr Heyse will inform you if your tooth requires a complimentary 6 month or 1 year recall to ensure your root canal is healing properly.
Below is the typical flow chart when you have tooth pain and require a root canal
Appointment 1 (With your general dentist)
Your dentist conducts an evaluation and determines that you may require a root canal that requires evaluation by a specialist (endodontist) and refers you to our office. Your dentist will send a brief message to our office and any relevant radiographs to our office on your behalf.
Appointment 2 (With our office)
After reviewing your referral provided by your general dentist, our front desk will help you determine if you would like one of two options: 1) consultation only (typically 30 min visit) to evaluate your tooth and discuss treatment options (typically the best option for patients who are not in pain, have already had a root canal on their tooth, or would like to discuss sedation options prior to treatment. 2) consultation and treatment (typically 90 min visit) in which Dr Heyse will diagnose your tooth and confirm your tooth is a candidate for root canal therapy then initiate root canal therapy the same day.
Appointment 3 (With you general dentist)
Once your tooth no longer has pain you should Ideally return to your general dentist within 3 weeks of completion of your root canal procedure to prevent the temporary restoration from breaking down. Your dentist will place the final restoration on the tooth which is usually a filling or a crown.
**It's important to note that the exact steps and techniques may vary depending on each specific case. We will provide you with detailed instructions on post-operative care and following these instructions will help promote healing and ensure the success of the root canal procedure**