What is a Root Canal Therapy?
A root canal is one of the most common dental procedures performed, with well over 14 million every year. This simple treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need of dental implants or bridges.
At the center of your tooth is pulp. Pulp is a collection of blood vessels that helps to build the surrounding tooth. Infection of the pulp can be caused by trauma to the tooth, deep decay, cracks and chips, or repeated dental procedures. Symptoms of the infection can be identified as visible injury or swelling of the tooth, sensitivity to temperature or pain in the tooth and gums.
How is a Root Canal Performed?
If you experience any of these symptoms, your general dentist will most likely recommend nonsurgical treatment to eliminate the diseased pulp, which can be completed at our office. This injured pulp is removed by our endodontist and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed. This therapy involves local anesthesia and may usually be completed in two visits depending on the treatment required. Success for this type of treatment occurs in about 94% of cases. If your tooth is not amenable to endodontic treatment or the chance of success is unfavorable, you will be informed at the time of consultation with Dr. David Abdelmalak. You will be able to drive home after your treatment, and you probably will be comfortable returning to your normal routine.
What Happens After Treatment?
When your root canal therapy has been completed, a record of your treatment will be sent to your general or restorative dentist. You should contact their office for a follow-up restoration within a few weeks of completion at our office. Your restorative dentist will be provided with a report at the completion of the root canal and will decide on what type of restoration is necessary to protect your tooth. It is rare for endodontic patients to experience complications after routine endodontic treatment or microsurgery. If a problem does occur, however, please do not hesitate to call us at 818-242-8955. As with any tooth, it is important to prevent tooth decay by continuing to practice good dental hygiene and by keeping your regular dental appointments.
How Much Will It Cost?
The cost associated with this procedure can vary depending on factors such as the severity of damage to the affected tooth and which tooth is affected. In general, endodontic treatment is much less expensive than tooth removal and replacement with an artificial tooth. In addition, it is usually best to treat the problem tooth as opposed to extracting the tooth and distributing the problem to adjacent teeth.
For more information about root canal therapy in Glendale, California, please contact Glendale Endodontics & Microsurgery. Our team look forward to your call!
