What is Root Canal Treatment?

Root Canal treatment is cleaning the inside of the tooth and restoring the tooth to normal function. As you already know tooth has enamel, dentin and cementum. Which are hard tissues and pulp which is soft tissue inside. Pulp consists of blood vessels, connective tissue and nerve supply. On a radiograph soft tissue appears as radiolucent or dark and hard tissues like bone, teeth as radio-opaque or white.

Why do we do root canal treatment?

What are signs and symptoms?

1. Prolonged and lingering pain to hot and cold
2. Biting pressure and sometimes pain
3. Increased pain when you lie down
4. Discolored tooth
5. Swelling and draining fistula in some chronic cases
6. No symptom sometimes

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

Leaving an infected tooth in your mouth is not recommended for several reasons:

• Infection can spread to other teeth & other parts of your body.
• It will destroy surrounding bone
• Severe pain and or swelling forcing you to make emergency appointment.
• Chronic infection leads to draining fistula and bad taste in your mouth sometimes.
• Untreated infection can lead to cellulitis and it is life threatening.

Is root canal treatment painful?

Most of the root canal treatments are not painful, some patients even sleep during the procedure. Advanced local anesthetic techniques along with nitrous oxide inhalation sedation will make patients comfortable during the procedure. Dentist at Oak Tree Dental will offer those services and make patients comfortable during the procedure.

Steps during root canal treatment

1. Dentist will examine the tooth clinically and your x-rays to confirm the diagnosis and anesthetize the patient.
2. After achieving desired anesthesia, tooth that needed root canal is isolated with rubber dam.
3. A small opening is created on the crown in the middle of the tooth to reach the pulp or inner soft tissue.
4. Damaged and infected soft tissue from inside the tooth is cleaned carefully with small instruments.
5. The process of cleaning and shaping the canals are done simultaneously.
6. Canals are dried and filled with inert and biocompatible material called Gutta percha along with adhesive cement.
7. Temporary filling is placed to close the opening on the crown.

Root canal can be done in one or two visits.

What to expect after root canal treatment?

1. Tooth might feel sensitive or painful for few days after treatment. This can be relieved by over the counter pain medications.
2. Dentist sometimes prescribes antibiotics if needed.
3. Tooth might feel different on biting for some time after treatment and it will get better.
4. If it doesn’t get better or if you notice any swelling please call us.
5. Since tooth has a temporary filling stay away from biting hard food on that side until you receive permanent filling and crown.

Will root canal treatment fail?

More than 90% of root canals are successful and sometimes tooth needs retreatment or apicoectomy if tooth doesn’t heal after root canal treatment. Common causes of failure:

1. Fracture or trauma
2. Dental caries
3. Improperly restored tooth
4. Complex root canal anatomy and identification of additional canals.

What is the cost for root canal treatment?

Cost depends on complexity of the problem and also the insurance plan you have. Front tooth root canal treatment is cheaper compared to molar root canal treatment. Root canal treatments at Oak Tree Dental range from 300-1050.

If you have tooth ache or need root canal treatment call Oak Tree Dental at 703-442-8733 to make a consultation appointment. Feel free to call our office or email us if you have any questions regarding root canal treatment and our friendly front desk staff are knowledgeable and will be happy to assist you.We are conveniently located on Greensboro Dr. just off Leesburg pike and we accept most insurances. OAK TREE DENTAL provides affordable dental care to patients in McLean, Tysons corner, Vienna, Arlington, Reston and surrounding areas.