What is an endodontist?
Will I feel pain during or after the procedure?
Will my tooth need special care afterwards?
How many appointments do I need for my Root Canal?
Are there alternatives to Endodontic treatment?
Can I drive myself home?
When can I return to my normal activities?
How much does a retreatment & procedure cost?
Does insurance cover endodontic surgery?
Myths About Root Canals and Root Canal Pain
An endodontist is a dentist who has received two years of advanced training in endodontic procedures and has limited their practice to performing only endodontic procedures. Dentists will regularly refer patients needing endodontic procedures to an endodontist because of their experience in dealing with both routine and difficult endodontic procedures. Endodontists are also experts in diagnosing the cause of oral and facial pain.
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Most patients report that they are comfortable during endodontic treatment. After treatment the tooth may be sensitive and you may experience slight discomfort. However, we will give you post-op instructions regarding your root canal and which medications will relieve this pain. If you experience severe pain or pain that lasts longer than a few days contact our office.
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After the procedure you need to avoid chewing or biting with the treated tooth until you have seen your dentist to have a crown or other restoration placed on the tooth. Until this is done the unrestored tooth will be susceptible to fracture. Once the tooth has been restored you need only practice proper oral hygiene and the tooth should last as long as any natural tooth.
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Endodontic treatment usually requires one appointment but sometimes requires two appointments. This, however, can not be determined until after the procedure is started. If a second appointment is needed, we will then schedule one for you. Please be advised that the cost quoted for your root canal is the same regardless of the number of appointments necessary.
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For some patients considering retreatment, endodontic surgery is also an option. This surgery involves making an incision near the end of the root to allow the tip of the root to be sealed. Endodontic surgery may be recommended in conjunction with retreatment or as an alternative. Your endodontist will discuss your options and recommend appropriate treatment.
The only other alternative is extraction of the tooth. The extracted tooth must then be replaced with an implant, bridge, or removable partial denture to restore chewing function and to prevent adjacent teeth from shifting. Because these alternatives require surgery or dental procedures on adjacent healthy teeth, they can be far more costly and time consuming than retreatment and restoration of the natural tooth.
No matter how effective modern tooth replacements are - and they can be very effective - nothing is as good as a natural tooth. You've already made an investment in saving your tooth. The pay-off for choosing endodontic surgery could be a healthy, functioning natural tooth for many years to come.
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After most endodontic treatment, you should expect to be able to drive yourself home. If previous arrangements have been made for sedation, then assistance for transportation is necessary.
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Each case is different, but many patients return to work the same day. Your endodontist will be happy to discuss your expected recovery time with you.
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The cost varies depending on how complicated the procedure will be. The procedure will probably be more complex than your first root canal treatment, because your restoration and filling material may need to be removed to accomplish the new procedure. In addition, your endodontist may need to spend extra time searching for unusual canal anatomy. Therefore, you can generally expect retreatment to cost more than the initial endodontic treatment.
While dental insurance may cover part or all of the cost for retreatment, some policies limit coverage to a single procedure on a tooth in a given period of time. Check with your employer or insurance company prior to treatment to be sure of your coverage.
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Each insurance plan is different. Check with your employer or insurance company prior to treatment.
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There are many misconceptions surrounding root canal (endodontic) treatment and
whether patients experience root canal pain. Dr. MacIntyre and the American
Association of Endodontists want you to have accurate information. As always, when
considering any medical procedure, you should get as much information as you can
about all of your options. Dr. MacIntyre can answer many of your questions
Myth #1 - Root canal treatment is painful
Truth: Root canal treatment doesn't cause pain, it relieves
it.
The perception of root canals being painful began decades ago but with modern
technologies and anesthetics, root canal treatment today is no more uncomfortable
than having a filling placed. In fact, a recent survey showed that patients who
have experienced root canal treatment are six times more likely to describe it as
"painless" than patients who have not had root canal treatment.
Most patients see their dentist or endodontist when they have a severe
toothache. The toothache can be caused by damaged tissues in the tooth. Root canal
treatment removes this damaged tissue from the tooth, thereby relieving the pain
you feel.
Myth #2 - Root canal treatment causes illness.
Patients searching the Internet for information on root canals may find sites
claiming that teeth receiving root canal (endodontic) treatment contribute to the
occurrence of illness and disease in the body. This false claim is based on long-
debunked and poorly designed research performed nearly a century ago by Dr. Weston
A. Price, at a time before medicine understood the causes of many diseases.
In the 1920s, Dr. Price advocated tooth extraction—the most traumatic dental
procedure—over endodontic treatment. This resulted in a frightening era of tooth
extraction both for treatment of systemic disease and as a prophylactic measure
against future illness.
The truth: There is no valid, scientific evidence linking root canal-
treated teeth and disease elsewhere in the body. A root canal is a safe
and effective procedure. When a severe infection in a tooth requires root canal
treatment, that treatment is designed to eliminate bacteria from
the infected root canal, prevent reinfection of the tooth and
save the natural tooth.
- The presence of bacteria in teeth and the mouth has been an accepted fact for
many years. But the presence of bacteria does not constitute "infection" and is not
necessarily a threat to a person's health. Bacteria are present in the mouth and
teeth at all times, even in teeth that have never had a cavity or other trauma.
Research shows that the healthy immune system takes care of bacteria in a matter of
minutes.
- Tooth extraction is a traumatic procedure and is known to cause a significantly
higher incidence of bacteria entering the bloodstream; endodontic treatment
confined to the root canal system produces much less trauma and a much lower
incidence and magnitude of bacteria entering the blood stream.
- There is no adequate replacement for the natural tooth - it should be saved
whenever possible. Root canal treatment, along with appropriate restoration, is a
cost effective way to treat infected teeth because it is usually less expensive
than extraction and placement of an implant. In most cases, endodontic treatment
allows patients to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime.
But what about Dr. Price? This is a good example of how the
Internet can give new life to long-dispelled theories. Believe it or not, the
misinformation about roots canals that is found on the Internet is still based on
Dr. Price’s century-old, discredited research. Dr. Price’s research techniques were
criticized at the time they were published, and by the early 1930s, a number of
well-designed studies using more modern research techniques discredited his
findings. In 1951, the Journal of the American Dental Association took the
extraordinary step of publishing a special edition reviewing the scientific
literature and shifted the standard of practice back to endodontic treatment for
teeth with non-vital pulp in instances where the tooth could be saved. The JADA
reviewed Dr. Price’s research techniques from the 1920s and noted that they lacked
many aspects of modern scientific research, including absence of proper control
groups and induction of excessive doses of bacteria.
As recently as 2013, research published in JAMA Otolaryngology—Head &
Neck Surgery, found that patients with multiple endodontic treatments had
a 45 percent reduced risk of cancer.
Myth #3 - A good alternative to root canal treatment is extraction
(pulling the tooth)
Truth: Saving your natural teeth, if possible, is the very best
option.
Nothing can completely replace your natural tooth. An artificial tooth can
sometimes cause you to avoid certain foods. Keeping your own teeth is important so
that you can continue to enjoy the wide variety of foods necessary to maintain the
proper nutrient balance in your diet. If your dentist recommends extraction, ask
whether root canal treatment is an option.
Endodontic treatment, along with appropriate restoration, is a cost-effective
way to treat teeth with damaged pulp and is usually less expensive than extraction
and placement of a bridge or an implant. Endodontic treatment also has a very high
success rate. Many root canal-treated teeth last a lifetime.
Placement of a bridge or an implant will require significantly more time in
treatment and may result in further procedures to adjacent teeth and supporting
tissues.
Millions of healthy endodontically treated teeth serve patients all over the
world, years and years after treatment. Those healthy teeth are helping patients
chew efficiently, maintain the natural appearance of their smiles and enhance their
enjoyment of life. Through endodontic treatment, endodontists and dentists
worldwide enable patients to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime.
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