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At glō Dental Studio, we use root canal therapy to remove infection from inside the tooth, relieve the pressure causing your pain, and preserve the natural tooth you already have. Most patients tell us it felt no different than getting a filling.
Not every toothache means a root canal, but some symptoms point to infection inside the nerve. And sometimes there are none at all: an infection can quietly develop at the root tip and only show up on an X-ray, which is one more reason regular exams matter.
Pain that suddenly disappears is not a sign it healed. The nerve may have died while the infection spreads toward the bone.
Inside every tooth is a soft core of nerve and blood vessels called the pulp. When decay, a crack or trauma lets bacteria in, the infection has nowhere to escape. That builds the pressure and pain, and left alone it forms an abscess in the bone.
We remove the infected pulp, disinfect and shape the narrow canals, and seal them so bacteria can’t return. The outside of your tooth stays where it is, along with your bite, your bone and your smile.
Extraction means an implant or bridge to fill the space, plus the bone loss that follows a missing tooth. When a tooth can be saved predictably, saving it is almost always the better investment.
You see your X-ray on screen and we explain exactly what we’re looking at before anything is decided.
A focused digital X-ray and simple tests confirm whether the pulp is involved.
Topical gel first, then we take our time. Pressure, not pain. If you feel anything sharp, we stop and add more.
Through a small opening, the infected tissue is removed and the canals are cleaned, disinfected and shaped.
The canals are filled with a biocompatible material, and the opening is closed with a filling.
Treated back teeth turn brittle. Skipping the crown is the most common reason a treated tooth is lost later.
Most root canals take one visit of roughly 60 to 90 minutes. Molars with extra canals, or teeth with significant infection, occasionally need a second appointment.
Modern anesthetics, better instruments and digital imaging have changed the experience completely. For most people, the appointment is far less eventful than the days of pain that led them here.
Many go back the same afternoon. Expect the tooth to feel tender to bite on for two or three days while the ligament around the root settles. Over-the-counter ibuprofen usually handles it well.
A root-canal-treated tooth that’s properly restored with a crown and kept clean can last a lifetime.
Call us right away if swelling gets worse, pain increases after day three, you have a fever, or your temporary filling comes out.
A root-canal-treated tooth, properly crowned and kept clean, can last a lifetime.
The cost depends on which tooth is involved. Front teeth have a single canal and are the most straightforward. Premolars have one or two. Molars have three or more and take longer, so they cost more. A crown to protect the tooth afterward is a separate fee.
Please note: we are not able to accept Denti-Cal / Medi-Cal at this time.
Don’t wait it out. Early treatment is simpler, more comfortable and less expensive than what comes after an infection spreads.
The procedure itself shouldn’t hurt. With modern anesthetic you’ll feel pressure and vibration but not pain. What hurts is the infection, and that’s what the treatment removes. Most patients say the toothache beforehand was far worse than the appointment.
Usually one visit of 60 to 90 minutes. Molars and heavily infected teeth may take longer or need a second visit.
You can, and sometimes extraction is the right call if the tooth is cracked below the gum or too broken down to restore. But replacing a tooth with an implant or bridge typically costs more than saving it, and once a tooth is out the surrounding bone begins to shrink. We’ll walk you through both options honestly.
On back teeth, yes. A root-canal-treated molar without a crown has a high chance of fracturing, and a fractured root usually can’t be saved. Front teeth with minimal damage sometimes do fine with a filling.
It can, particularly front teeth treated years ago. If discoloration occurs, internal whitening or a veneer or crown can restore the color.
Properly treated, crowned and cared for, a root canal tooth can last decades or the rest of your life. Success rates are consistently high.
Yes. You’ll just be numb for a few hours. Avoid chewing until the numbness is gone so you don’t bite your cheek or tongue.
Tell us when you book. We’ll schedule extra time, explain everything before we do it, and stop whenever you ask. Many of our patients came in after years away.
That claim traces back to discredited research from the 1920s that has been thoroughly disproven. Root canal therapy is one of the most studied procedures in dentistry and is endorsed by the American Dental Association and the American Association of Endodontists.
