Root Canal & Endodontics in Fairfax

Root Canal Treatment in Fairfax, VA

When your tooth ache is much worse than just a dull ache, when it makes smiling, eating and chewing excruciating, you may have an infection. You need to seek treatment before the infection does any more damage or even kills your tooth.

A root canal may be the solution.

What Is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal treatment is widely used to preserve a patient’s teeth and save them from extraction. Also called root canal therapy, a root canal is used to eliminate infection from the pulp of a tooth. The pulp chamber is the space inside your tooth that contain its nerves, blood vessels, and other cellular structures. That chamber stretches from the center of the tooth down through the roots.

People fear getting root canals because they assume they are painful. Actually, most people report that the procedure itself is not any more painful than getting a cavity filled. The discomfort you experience with that tooth ache is far worse than the root canal procedure.

Call our root canal doctor at Dental One Associates of Woodson Square today at (571) 364-7943 to see if root canal treatment is needed to eliminate your toothache and save your natural tooth.

When Is a Root Canal Needed?

The tooth’s enamel, the hard, white covering, can become cracked, chipped, or severely decayed leading to the pulp of the tooth becoming infected. The only way to repair the tooth is for our dentist to perform a root canal. The following symptoms may be a sign that you need a root canal:

• Dental pain that interrupts your sleep
• Severe tooth pain
• Tooth discoloration
• Deep cavity
• Sharp pain when biting
• Extreme sensitivity to touch, heat or cold
• Severe swelling of the gums around the aching tooth

Our general dentist in Fairfax can perform most root canals, but may refer you to a root canal specialist called an endodontist for a more complex root canal. Call us today for a root canal consultation.

What should I expect from a root canal treatment?

Don’t worry about experiencing a lot of pain. Modern dentistry has made getting a root canal about as easy and comfortable as getting a filling. The root canal procedure typically only takes about an hour or two to complete.

The root canal process includes the following steps:

1. Our root canal dentist will numb your tooth to prevent you from feeling pain.
2. The dentist will create an opening in the top of the tooth (crown) to get access to the inner pulp.
3. Our dentist uses a special set of tools to remove the infected pulp, disinfect the area, and shape the root canals.
4. The dentist fills the root canals with a special substance and then seals the tooth.
5. At a future appointment, the dentist will place a permanent crown to protect your tooth from any fracturing.

How Much Does a Root Canal Cost?

The cost of your root canal treatment in Fairfax will depend on the complexity of the procedure. A root canal on a front tooth is cheaper than a root canal on a molar, because molars have more root canals. Teeth can have up to four roots. The root canals can be very small; some are only the thickness as a strand of hair.

Frequently, dental insurance will pay some or all the cost of your root canal treatment. To learn what your estimate would be, call our office at (571) 364-7943 to schedule a consultation.

What Should I Expect After a Root Canal?

After a root canal is performed, your lips and gums may remain numb for a few hours until the anesthetic wears off. You may have throbbing pain later, which you can treat with pain medicines, such a prescription pain killer or over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen. The pain doesn’t usually last more than a day or two.

After you get a root canal and crown, the tooth is restored to its normal functionality. Because the tooth did not have to be extracted, it will be easier to chew, speak, and smile. Best of all, the toothache caused by the infection will be completely gone.

Teeth that have been restored using root canal therapy generally last for a very long time when maintained with proper dental hygiene. Call Dental One Associates of Woodson Square today to find out how a root canal treatment can alleviate your pain and save your tooth.