Root canal therapy
For a toothache, lingering heat sensitivity or an abscess, in a front tooth or a back one, when you would rather keep the tooth.
Root canal therapy removes the infected nerve from inside a tooth, then cleans and seals the canals it ran through. Dr. Malik treats front teeth, which usually have a single canal, and the molars at the back, which usually have three or four, here in the office.
Signs you might need a root canal.
- Pain from hot food or drink that lingers instead of fading in a few seconds.
- A throbbing toothache that wakes you at night or starts without a trigger.
- A pimple-like bump, or swelling, on the gum beside one tooth.
- A front tooth that has gone grey or dark since a knock, even a knock years ago.
- An X-ray at a check-up shows infection at the root tip, even with no pain yet.
A root canal, step by step.
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01
Confirm the tooth
Dr. Malik examines the tooth and takes an X-ray to check that the nerve is the problem and the tooth is worth saving. He does root canals here himself, so there is no referral to another office.
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02
Numb the area
A root canal is done under full freezing, and the tooth is tested before it is opened. Lower back teeth can take longer to numb, especially when they are inflamed, so we wait and test again rather than start early.
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03
Front teeth and back teeth
A front tooth is opened from behind, where it does not show, and usually has one canal to clean. A molar is opened through the biting surface and has three or four canals, some narrow and curved, so it takes longer.
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04
Clean and seal
A thin rubber sheet keeps the tooth dry while fine files remove the nerve and bacteria, and the canals are disinfected, filled and sealed. A badly infected tooth may get a dressing and a temporary filling, and a second visit about a week later.
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05
Rebuild the tooth
A front tooth with a small opening can often be closed with a filling. A back tooth takes the heaviest chewing and turns brittle without its nerve, so it usually needs a crown within a few weeks, sometimes with a post underneath.
How we bill a root canal.
Most dental plans cover part of a root canal, and usually part of the crown that follows; the two are priced as separate procedures. A molar costs more than a front tooth because there are more canals to find and clean.
Ask us what it will costRoot canal therapy, answered.
Does a root canal hurt?
The area is numbed first, the same as for a filling, and most people feel pressure rather than pain. The tooth is often less sore afterwards than before, because the infected nerve is gone. Some tenderness for a few days is normal.
How long does a root canal take?
Usually one visit, sometimes two about a week apart if the infection is severe. A front tooth is quicker than a molar.
Can I just have the tooth pulled instead?
You can, but the gap lets the neighbouring teeth drift, and replacing the tooth with an implant or bridge is a bigger job than saving it. If the tooth can be saved, a root canal is usually the simpler route.
What if the tooth still hurts months after a root canal?
Call us. A root canal can be redone if a canal was missed or bacteria got back in, and an infection that stays at the root tip can be treated through the gum instead. Dr. Malik does both here.
