Endodontic FAQ

What is endodontics?

Endodontics is a branch of dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association involving diagnosis and treatment of the pulp (root canal) and surrounding tissues of the tooth. When you look at your tooth in the mirror, what you see is the crown. The rest of the tooth, the portion hidden beneath the gum line, is called the root. Though the outer portion of the root is a hard tissue called dentin, the inside channel or “root canal” contains a pulp of soft tissue, blood vessels and nerves. Bacteria that are introduced into the pulp as a result of tooth decay, trauma, periodontal disease, tooth fracture or other problems, can severely damage the pulp. When that happens, an endodontic specialist removes the diseased pulp to save the tooth and prevent further inflammation and infection. After successful endodontic treatment, the tooth continues to perform normally.

I’m worried about x-rays. Should I be?

No. While x-rays will be necessary during your endodontics treatment, we use an advanced non-film computerized system, called digital radiography, which produces radiation levels up to 90 percent lower than those of already low dose conventional dental x-ray machinery. These digital images can be optimized, archived, printed and sent to co therapists via e-mail or diskette. For more information contact Schick Technologies, Inc.

What about infection control?

Again, there’s no need for concern. We adhere to the most rigorous standards of infection control advocated by OSHA, the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association. We utilize autoclave sterilization and barrier techniques to eliminate any risk of infection.

What happens after treatment?

When your root canal therapy has been completed, original radiographs and a record of your treatment will be sent to your restorative dentist. You may need to contact the office for a follow-up restoration within a few weeks of completion at our office. Your restorative dentist 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, we are available at all times to respond.

What new technologies are being used?

Operating Microscopes:

In addition to digital radiography, we utilize special operating microscopes. Magnification and fiber optic illumination are helpful in aiding the doctor to see tiny details inside your tooth. Also, a tiny video camera on the operating microscope can record images of your tooth to further document the doctor’s findings.

Electric Apex Locators: In certain cases electric apex locators can minimize the number of x-rays needed to complete root canal treatment.

Ultrasonics: Ultrasonic instruments can be valuable to remove or loosen obstructions that would otherwise prevent reliable endodontic therapy.

Intra-osseous Anesthesia: For patients who are difficult to “numb”, we are trained to administer anesthesia directly into the hard tissues surrounding the tooth. This treatment modality allows the vast majority of difficult teeth to achieve comfortable, pulpal anesthesia.

What can I eat after a root canal?

After a root canal, try to eat soft foods that require very little chewing, like applesauce, yogurt, eggs, and fish. Avoid hard or hot foods that might hurt your teeth. Some dentists suggest not eating for a few hours until the numbness in your mouth wears off so you don’t bite your cheek or tongue.

How is a root canal done?

A root canal is performed when the endodontist removes the infected pulp and nerve in the root of the tooth, cleans and shapes the inside of the root canal, then fills and seals the space. Afterward, your dentist will place a crown on the tooth to protect and restore it to its original function.

What to expect from a root canal?

For the first few days after a root canal, some patients experience sensitivity, swelling, or inflammation, while others experience an uneven bite or a reaction to the medication provided by the endodontist. Please contact us if these symptoms are more severe or persistent than expected.

Does a root canal kill the tooth?

A root canal does not kill the tooth, and after a root canal is complete, the tooth will be able to function as it normally does. Root canals do remove the nerves inside the tooth, but these nerves serve very little function in a fully formed tooth.

Can a root canal treated tooth get reinfected?

Root canals can fail for a variety of reasons, including a procedure that didn’t clean the canals to begin with, a breakdown of the crown or its inner sealant, or essentially anything that allows the tooth that previously had a root canal treatment to become infected at the root and affect other teeth. Many times there are adjustment procedures that can still save these teeth.

What happens if I don’t get a root canal?

If left untreated, the infection in the tooth can spread to other parts of the body, and in some cases can even be life threatening. If you are in need of a root canal, the infected pulp in the tooth needs to be removed.

Can I drive after a root canal?

Root canal procedures are done using local anesthesia, meaning only the areas that are being operated on will be numb during the course of the procedure. This means you are awake and aware during the process and can drive and operate machinery as you normally would immediately after the procedure is over.

Myths About Root Canals

Myth 1: Root canal treatment is painful.That may have been the case decades ago, but with modern technology and anesthetics, you won’t experience any more pain than if you went to have a cavity filled. The pain from a severe toothache, often caused by damaged tissues in the tooth, can be easily remedied when an endodontist removes the damaged tissue through root canal treatment. In addition, endodontists are experts in pain management, and most cases can be treated quickly and comfortably.

Myth 2: Root canal treatment causes illness.Information you may find on the Internet or elsewhere, claiming that if you receive a root canal treatment that you’re more likely to become ill or contract a systemic disease in the future, simply isn’t true. This false claim was based on long-debunked and poorly designed research conducted nearly a century ago, long before modern medicine understood the actual causes of many diseases. There is no valid, scientific evidence linking root canal treatment to cancer or disease elsewhere in the body. In fact, modern research has shown that patients with multiple endodontic treatments had a 45 percent reduced risk of cancer. (Tezal M, et al. Dental Caries and Head and Neck Cancers. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 139(10):1054-60, Oct. 2013.).

Myth 3: It’s better to pull a tooth than have root canal treatment.Saving your natural teeth, if possible, is always the best option. Nothing artificial can replace the look or function of a natural tooth so it’s important to always consider root canal treatment as an option. Endodontic treatment has a high long-term success rate and many root canal-treated teeth last a lifetime. Replacing an extracted tooth with a bridge or implant requires more time in treatment and may result in further procedures to neighboring teeth and supporting tissue.

Myth 4: If My Tooth Doesn’t Hurt, There is No Need for a Root Canal.While a throbbing toothache typically is a telltale sign of a need for root canal treatment, there are times a tooth can require root canal treatment when there is no pain present. Endodontists are specially trained to test a tooth to see if the pulp has been infected or damaged. If this is the case, a root canal would be necessary to save the tooth. And remember, when it comes to teeth: There is no pain that is normal, so be sure to see an endodontist if you have a toothache.