Root Canal & Endodontics in Georgia

What Are Root Canal Surgeries?

An endodontic procedure, root canal surgery is one of the most effective ways to save your tooth when it’s damaged by infection or injury. The procedure involves removing infected tooth pulp from the core and roots of your tooth. This infection can develop in a number of ways. Most often, it’s caused by tooth decay that becomes so advanced that it exposes the tooth’s inner pulp chamber to harmful bacteria. This infection of the dental pulp can reach the tooth’s roots via its root canals. When the infection spreads throughout the tooth’s pulp chamber and root canals, the stability and health of the entire tooth are threatened.

What Are the Signs I Might Need a Root Canal Procedure?

If your tooth’s pulp tissue is infected, you might experience a variety of symptoms, ranging from pain to inflammation. What sets this type of pain apart from regular, less serious tooth discomfort is the unrelenting nature of the pain that gets worse with biting and chewing. Some of our patients describe symptoms such as:

• Moderate to intense tooth pain that never stops
• Tooth pain that worsens and lingers when eating and drinking hot or cold foods
• Teeth that look discolored
• Gums that stay inflamed around the painful tooth
• Tooth pain that wakes you up at night
• Teeth and gums that hurt when they’re touched

If you have any of these symptoms, give our office a call right away. Our experienced dentist can evaluate your dental health and develop a treatment plan that can help save your tooth and permanently relieve the pain of infection.

Where Can I Find a Dentist for Root Canals?

General dentists can perform standard root canals, but your dentist may recommend a specialist called an endodontist if your case is complicated. Endodontists are general dentists who have successfully completed an additional two-year residency in endodontic procedures. They are qualified to perform more complex root canals and cases where a tooth needs a second dental root canal. If you need a qualified root canal dentist, call us today to schedule an appointment.

What Will Happen During My Procedure

While the thought of root canals may sound intimidating, they’re actually fairly quick, pain-free procedures. You can expect the treatment to last one to two hours, proceeding through the following steps:

• First, your dentist numbs the tooth completely. This may take a few minutes, but it ensures that you won’t feel any pain during the procedure.
• A latex shield is placed around your tooth to keep it clean and isolated from the fluid in your mouth.
• Your dentist will use a tiny instrument to make a very small hole in the top of your tooth. This opening provides access to the pulp chamber and root canals.
• Using special magnifying equipment and small tools, your dentist removes the pulp from the chamber and root canals then cleans and shapes them.
• Disinfecting fluid is used to wash the remaining debris and bacteria out of the cleaned root canals.
• Canals are then filled and sealed with a rubbery biocompatible substance called gutta-percha.
• To completely seal the tooth and provide needed support and structure, a root canal crown is placed on top of the tooth.

What Is the Cost of Dental Root Canal Treatment?

A number of issues will affect your overall root canal cost. Some of these factors include whether your tooth will need pre-treatment and whether your tooth damage is severe. The number of tooth roots involved also affects your price. Incisors have only one root, and molars have three or four roots. This means that front teeth are usually less expensive to treat than molars.

Dental insurance coverage can also play an important part in reducing your overall cost. It’s common for dental insurance plans to partially cover procedures like root canals, so check your coverage and annual limits. We will be pleased to coordinate your benefits with your insurance provider once our dentist has performed a thorough exam of your tooth. Once the exam is complete, we can provide you with a cost estimate based on your specific root canal needs. Call us now to schedule your exam with our skilled dentist.

Are There Different Types of Root Canals?

Root canals are most often performed on molars, but the procedure successfully treats any tooth, even front teeth. There are some other endodontic alternatives available depending on your individual needs. In some cases, you may need an apicoectomy which involves removing the tip of the tooth’s root. This is frequently recommended for teeth that have had unsuccessful root canals.

Will I Experience Tooth Pain After Treatment?

Some patients report having minor discomfort after treatment, but it’s calmed by over-the-counter pain relievers. In most cases, our patients find immediate relief from the severe pain of an infected tooth with a root canal in Georgia. Schedule an appointment today to achieve pain relief.