Saving Your Natural Tooth
During a root canal procedure, the pulp, which is the living tissue inside the tooth, is extracted, and the resulting void is filled with specialized dental materials infused with medication, restoring the tooth to its full functionality. Opting for root canal therapy not only preserves your natural tooth, prolonging its lifespan, but it also safeguards and maintains the integrity of the jawbone and other supporting tissues surrounding the tooth. Whenever feasible, preserving your natural tooth not only spares you from future pain but also reduces potential expenses.
Several indicators may suggest the need for root canal therapy, including:
- Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.
- Intense toothache pain.
- Redness or swelling of the gums near the affected tooth.
- Discolouration of the tooth.
- The presence of an abscess (or pimple) on the gums.
The Root Canal Treatment Plan
A root canal treatment usually requires one or two office visits and is performed by either a dentist or an endodontist. Here is how we perform your root canal:
Diagnosis and Treatment Plan
The initial phase involves taking an X-ray of the tooth and the adjacent bone to identify the underlying cause of your symptoms. Your specialist might recommend antibiotics to manage infection and inflammation. The discomfort associated with an abscess is typically due to the pressure from infection-related swelling, which often leads to pain during a root canal. By preemptively reducing this inflammation, this element is eliminated during the procedure.
Prepping the Tooth
When it’s time to proceed with the root canal, we take care to thoroughly numb the area, ensuring your gums, teeth, and surrounding tissues are completely numbed. Your comfort and peace of mind are of utmost importance to us. Once you’re comfortably numb, we create an access hole in the tooth. Subsequently, we extract the pulp, bacteria, decayed nerve tissue, and any associated debris.
Sealing the Tooth
The extent of the abscess determines whether we need to introduce medication into the tooth to fully eradicate any infection. In cases where multiple visits are necessary, we will apply a temporary filling. By this stage, you should already experience some relief. The permanent sealing of your tooth can only take place once it is thoroughly cleaned and restored to a healthy condition.
Cost of a root canal in Oakville
The cost of dental treatment varies widely, but saving the tooth with a root canal is more cost-efficient in the long run. With a typical insurance plan, root canal therapy has an average out-of-pocket cost of around $200 to $500+. After an oral exam, we would be happy to provide you with an accurate quote for your insurance company so you can find out your actual out-of-pocket costs. Without insurance, you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 to $1200+ for treatment.
- The severity of the infection.
- The location of the infection in your mouth.
- The health of the surrounding teeth and gums.
- Complications which may require more time or a delicate and experienced touch.
Why is there such a wide ballpark estimate of the cost? When we generate a quote for root canal therapy we consider factors like:
No dental practice can provide an accurate quote over the phone. Every case is different so it's important to speak with a dentist who can evaluate your unique situation and provide you with all your treatment options for your consideration.
Is there an alternative treatment to root canals?
An abscess or infection in your tooth is extremely dangerous and considered an urgent health matter. Many people think of root canals as some sort of ‘lesser evil’ to end excruciating dental pain. More important than that, root canals remove an infection that can spread and become life-threatening, requiring much more urgent and invasive care. This is why we work tirelessly to fight the reputation that root canal therapy has gained and why your comfort and peace-of-mind is so important to us.
If you think you may have an infection but you really don’t want a root canal, we strongly encourage you to reach out to us anyways. We will not perform any procedure without your full understanding and consent and may have alternative options for you with the ultimate goal of resolving your infection.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
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