Root Canal Treatment North York

Endodontic Treatment is an indispensable procedure in the treatment of teeth that are severely decayed, infected, or broken; allowing the affected tooth to be saved from extraction and maintained for many more years.

A root canal is part of a naturally occurring space within a tooth that consists of the pulp chamber, the main canal, and more intricate anatomical branches that may connect the root canals to each other or to the surface of the root. The smaller branches are most frequently found near the root end (apex) but may be encountered anywhere along the root length.

In a root canal procedure, the dentist will access the pulp chamber in the crown of the tooth and will reveal the root canals contained in the roots of the tooth. The infected nerve is removed and the canals are shaped using special files to smooth the walls and ensure no pulp tissue or infection is left. The canals are then filled with a special material that seals off the root canals.

Root canal treatment may be done in 1 or 2 appointments. After root canal treatment, your tooth may be tender for the first week or two. Bad pain or swelling is NOT common. If this happens, call your dentist immediately.

What are the steps involved in root canal treatment?

A thorough medical and dental screening will be done. It is important to disclose any medical condition, allergies, pills (medications) or over the counter remedies you are taking.

A series of x-rays will be taken at the beginning, during and after the treatment.

After an assessment a diagnosis will be disclosed and possible treatment choices will be provided and explained to you. You will then be given the choice to decide what treatment you think is best to proceed with. Potentially it could include, but not restricted to, cementing a post into the canal to help support the build up core and the crown.

You will receive topical anesthetic (gel) followed by local anesthetic (freezing).

To prevent your tooth gets more contamination from bacteria in your saliva during the treatment, a rubber dam (latex free) around the tooth is placed.

Then an opening in the tooth is done to reach the root canal system and the damaged pulp.

Using very fine files, the damaged pulp is removed by cleaning and shaping the root canal system.

After the canal has been cleaned and dried a filling (gutta percha) material is placed in to seal the canal.

The opening of the tooth is then sealed with either a temporary or permanent filling.

4 to 5 weeks after a root canal treatment, your tooth may receive a crown. Teeth that had received root canal treatment will become brittle very prone to fracture and will likely need a crown to protect the tooth against strong chewing force.

Will a root canal prevent further decay?

Root canal treatment does not protect your tooth from other types of damage as gingivitis or caries (decay). Unfortunately, if a crown is not placed the tooth is in high risk for fracture. With proper care and regular dental visits, the tooth could last as long as possible.

What if my tooth cannot be saved?

Most of the time, a tooth can be saved. However, there are cases where everything possible has been done to save a tooth and still the tooth must be extracted (pulled). When a vertical fracture has been found along the crown into the roots of your tooth or when tooth decay is too extensive and your tooth is deemed not restorable then an extraction may be the only treatment. If extraction is done, a dental implant or a bridge could restore the missing tooth.

Most root canal treatments are successful. But in some rare cases, when symptoms return or a shadow on the x-ray is seeing after some years, a second root canal treatment is needed. This is called re-treatment. When re-treating a tooth, the root canal filling material is taken out, and the canal is again cleaned, reshaped and refilled. If this occurs your dentist will refer you to a specialist.

If you have more questions, please do not hesitate to contact North York family dentist Dr. Nubia Diaz for a root canal consultation at Stonebrook Dental (416) 636-4227 or email us [email protected]

Is Root Canal Treatment painful?

Root canal procedure is not as painful as it sounds! You don't have to dread getting this procedure done. With the help of numbing medicine, you shouldn't have any severe pain. You do have to take good care of your mouth after the treatment, and you may experience some post-procedure discomfort, but nothing that an over the counter pain reliever could not ease.

When do you need Root Canal Treatment?

Once the nerve in a tooth has suffered infection or trauma, the tooth will begin to disintegrate from the inside out. Root Canal procedure preserves the tooth so that it can be retained for several more years rather than needing to be extracted. Endodontic (root canal) treatment is recommended for situations such as:

• Dental abscess
• Dying tooth
• Severe fracture in tooth
• Deep cavities
• Severe tooth sensitivity or pain

Root canal treatment can be done in 1 or 2 appointments. After root canal treatment, your tooth may be tender for the first few days. Severe pain or swelling are not common. If this happens, call your dentist or endodontist. You can still get a cavity or gum disease after a root canal treatment. Root canal treatment does not protect your tooth from other types of damage. However with proper care and regular dental visits, the tooth could last as long as your other teeth. Most of the time, a tooth that has had a root canal treatment can be saved.

Because of the complexity and difficulty of root canal therapy (due to multiple configurations and particularities of root canals in each individual) this treatment can pose a challenge for the dentist. Sometimes, it’s necessary to refer the patient to endodontists specializing in root canal therapy in North York.

Stonebrook Dental in North York is experienced in root canal procedures. We encourage you to book a consultation with our experienced dentists and discuss your options.