We will take every measure to ensure that your procedure is in no way uncomfortable or painful. If treatment is needed, we will inject a small amount of anesthesia to gently numb a concentrated area of your mouth. For most patients, the feeling of numbness usually subsides after 2-3 hours.

Yes, for most root canal treatments, we recommend that patients return to the office 1 year after the procedure was finished. Our office will send a reminder notice to you when you are due for a recall appointment.

The procedure of a root canal is the process of removing inflamed or necrotic (dead) tissue from the space within the tooth. During this process it is disinfected to reduce the number of bacteria as much as possible. After the canal space is cleaned and dried, it is filled with a root canal filling material to minimize the re-entry of bacteria. 

The roots of your tooth are not removed. The inside of the roots are cleaned and the rest of the root is left to support the tooth. 

After the root canal procedure the pulp tissue inside your tooth is removed.  This tissue is responsible for growing new dentin while the tooth is being formed, and detecting hot and cold.  Your tooth will no longer be sensitive to hot or cold, but it will still have feeling due to the bone and ligament that hold your tooth in the jaw. 

Your jaw may be sore and your lip may be numb, but you should be in good shape to continue your regular schedule. It should be no different than getting a filling or a crown.

Teeth are often uncomfortable after a root canal, and discomfort usually peaks about two days after treatment. It is common for the tooth to still be a little uncomfortable for a week or so. It is important that the tooth is getting better over time.

Unless there are contraindications (ask your physician) I recommend 400-800 mg of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, or generic) about every 6 hours. If you are still uncomfortable despite the ibuprofen, then take about 500-1000mg of Tylenol (acetaminophen) along with the ibuprofen. If you have been given a prescription for either hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Norco) or oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet), then you may take that with the ibuprofen instead of the Tylenol.

Most root canals in our office are completed in one visit. Some are done in two visits if there is swelling, persistent drainage or complex anatomy. A second or third visit does not mean you will need to pay more. It just means that we want to give you the best quality root canal regardless of the number of visits it will require.

Normally, you will be referred back to your general dentist who will assure the tooth has an adequate permanent restoration. Most posterior teeth will require a crown after the root canal if there is not already one in place. We will inform you of the next step in your dental treatment, upon completion of your root canal therapy.   If we placed a temporary filling in your tooth after the root canal, I recommend getting a permanent filling within three weeks.

Yes, for most root canal treatments, we recommend that patients return to the office 1 year after the procedure was finished. Our office will send a reminder notice to you when you are due for a recall appointment. There is no charge for this visit

I do not recommend chewing on the tooth until it has received a permanent restoration. The risk of tooth fracture is high in root canal treated teeth that have not been permanently restored.

If you already have a crown, most of the time the root canal will be done through a small opening in the top. Your general dentist will need to repair the opening after your root canal is completed, unless we do it for you.  A new crown may be indicated if there are imperfections that do not lead to predictable dental health. Crowns with porcelain (tooth colored crowns) are susceptible to fracture of the porcelain (happens less than 5% of the time). If the porcelain fractures in a way that the crown is no longer functional or esthetic, then replacing the crown may be necessary.

Another name for laughing gas is Nitrous oxide sedation, and it is available in our office.   There is an additional nominal charge for this service, and is usually not covered by dental insurance.   Anxious patients may want to have Nitrous oxide sedation during their appointment, to give you a more pleasant experience.  If you feel that this may be necessary for you, please inform the receptionist when you call to schedule your appointment.  You can drive yourself home right after having nitrous oxide, as the sedation effects wear off immediately.

Many patients ask if they can come to me for all of their dental work. The answer is that I specialize in root canal therapy and limit my practice to that area of dentistry. The only exception is that we also perform Dental Implant Surgery.  If you do not have a dentist, then we can help you find an appropriate match.

The fees in our office are on par with those throughout the Salt Lake area.  The cost of treatment is due to the high cost of dental supplies, the cost of running a small business, and the years of training it took to gain a mastery of the procedure. If the cumulative cost of your dental treatment is not financially feasible, consult with our financial manager who will familiarize you with some programs to help finance the cost of your dental care.

We can remove your tooth if we determine that it cannot be saved and your general dentist would like us to do it.   Since you may want a dental implant where the tooth is being removed, oftentimes we can extract the tooth and place an implant the same day.   We always work with your general dentist in making decisions for your dental health. 

Use of a dental operating microscope adds superior lighting and magnification while treating your tooth.   It is almost like turning the light on in a dark room before trying to find a pair of matching socks.

I acknowledge that you want to spend as little time in the dental chair as possible, however certain root canal complexities require significant time to properly address.   If your root canal is taking longer than expected, it is because we care about the quality of the work that you are recieving. 

If you have not had your tooth permanently restored in a timely manner, the canal system may have become re-infected with bacteria.  In this case, you may need root canal re-treatment prior to getting a permanent restoration on your tooth.  In most cases you will need to pay for the cost of re-treatment, and your insurance may or may not help pay the second time.  This situation underlines the importance of completing the restorative phase of treatment in a timely manner as prescribed during your root canal appointment.  If the tooth has cracked, during the time the temporary filling was missing then your tooth will need to be extracted.  In this case, we may be able to help remedy the situation by removing the tooth and place a dental implant at a discounted rate. 

If you are unable to afford the restorative phase of treatment at this time, please discuss this with your general dentist. At a minimum, the tooth should get a permanent filling (core buildup) and be removed from occlusion (shaved down so you can’t bite down on it).