Root Canal Therapy – New Lenox
Protect & Preserve Damaged Teeth
One of the terms that people who visit the dentist hate to hear is “root canal.” While it is certainly true that this procedure has a bad reputation among patients, they are often necessary. There are a number of benefits to root canals that other types of dental treatment are unable to provide. To get a better idea of what the benefits of root canals are, you will want to have an understanding of the process of root canals in the first place.
Why Choose Us for Root Canal Therapy?
- 95% Success Rate
- Dedicated Team of Experts
- State-of-the-Art Cone Beam For Unparalleled Diagnostic Precision
What Is Root Canal Therapy?
With this type of therapy, the dentist removes bacterial infections that have entered the pulp or the nerve chamber of the tooth. If you have large fillings, trauma to the tooth, a chipped tooth, or deep decay, you may find that you need root canal therapy.
One of the biggest benefits of root canals is the fact that it will remove the infection, which has the potential to be dangerous. If you choose to ignore painful symptoms, the infection can work its way into your bone. It can cause an abscess and an infection of the bone.
Some people might believe it is easier to simply remove the tooth. While extraction is possible in many cases, it isn’t often the best option. It means you no longer have the tooth, which can lead to a number of other dental issues, including shifting teeth. The root canal will allow you to save the tooth.
Am I a Candidate for Root Canal Therapy?
Other variations on this question could be “do I need a root canal,” should I be afraid of root canals,” and “How horrible are root canals?” At Atrium Family Dental of New Lenox, we have heard them all. So, let us begin with those answers: maybe, no, and not horrible at all!
Root canals get a really bad reputation, and it is undeserved. Keep reading below to learn more:
Why Would I Be a Candidate for Root Canals?
You might be a candidate for root canals if you are in unbearable dental pain. This is where the misconceptions begin; root canals do not cause pain. They ease pain. The thing is, when you develop dental pain, it is generally because you have a bacterial infection in the pulp of your tooth. If your dentist says “it looks like you are a candidate for root canals,” what he or she is saying is basically that there are treatments available that will stop the pain.
What Causes the Pain?
There are any number of reasons why your tooth could hurt. It could be deeply decayed, or you could have huge fillings that are failing. Alternatively, you might have experienced significant trauma to the tooth. Regardless of the cause, you want the pain to stop, and that makes you a candidate for root canals.
Are There Other Options?
Well, you could just do nothing and live with the pain. If you choose that course of action, though, the bacteria are going to work their way even further down the tooth and ultimately into the jawbone, where they will grow and fester and cause even more pain. Needless to say, this is not the recommended course of action.
If you need root canal treatment, your only other option is extraction. The problem with this is that the teeth that remain around the extraction site will begin to crowd in, and that could result in a bad bite. We encourage patients to rely on root canal therapy for relief.
An Easy, Effective Treatment
You do not have to be afraid of a root canal. It really is no more uncomfortable than any other routine treatment because your dentist will numb your mouth using a local anesthetic. Then, he or she will drill down into your tooth and extract all the infected material from the canals. Once this is done, your tooth will be filled, a crown will be placed to protect the underlying structure of your tooth, and you will be out of the dentist’s chair in little more time than you would for any other treatment.
The After-Effect
You might be asking “am I a candidate for root canals if I have a very low pain tolerance?” The answer is “yes.” With root canals, you might find that you have a bit of discomfort for a few days after the treatment, but most of the time, it can be handled using over-the-counter pain relievers. If you are in serious discomfort, your dentist can give you something stronger.
Understanding the Cost of Root Canal Therapy
How much will you end up paying for root canal therapy? And what options are available to help fit the cost of care into your budget? We can answer these questions in full detail during an in-person consultation; our goal is to help you get the treatment you need to stop your pain and save your smile without breaking the bank. Below is a brief overview of the factors that contribute to the overall cost of root canal therapy.
Factors That Can Affect Root Canal Cost
First of all, the tooth that’s being treated makes a difference. The teeth near the back of your mouth contain more root canals than those at the front. Consequently, a root canal procedure for your back teeth will likely take longer and thus carry a higher cost.
On a related note, the complexity of the root canal procedure matters. The more difficult it is to treat the tooth, the higher the final cost will be. We’ll give you an idea of how complex you can expect your particular case to be during your initial consultation.
Finally, there’s the cost of additional services to consider. For example, oftentimes a new dental crown is needed to protect a tooth that has received root canal therapy. This crown will come with its own price, which we’ll need to take into account when putting together an estimate for your treatment.
Is it Cheaper to Pull My Tooth?
By themselves, tooth extractions cost less than root canal therapy. However, this is before considering the cost of a new implant or bridge to fill in the gap in your smile. And if you choose to leave the space empty, you risk allowing your remaining teeth to drift out of place, resulting in painful (and potentially costly to treat) bite problems.
In short, having root canal therapy done can ultimately be the more cost-effective choice for your smile. It will let you save your natural tooth so that you can avoid having to pay for a replacement. Remember not to delay the treatment for too long; if the infection in your tooth becomes too severe, an extraction might be the only option.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Root Canal Therapy?
Most dental insurance plans will pay about 50% to 80% of the cost of root canal therapy after you’ve met your deductible. The exact details will vary depending on what plan you have, so reach out to your insurance company to review your benefits before you make any commitments.
Other Options for Making Root Canal Therapy Affordable
Dental insurance is not the only way to fit root canal therapy into your budget. You can sign up for our Smile Saver Club in-house savings plan, which lets you enjoy discounts on various services. Furthermore, we work with CareCredit to offer our patients convenient, flexible financing plans; you’ll be able to pay for your treatment in monthly installments with little to no interest attached.
Root Canal Therapy FAQs
Have you been told that you’re in need of a root canal? It may not seem like good news, but this treatment can help to salvage your damaged tooth. You may still have some unanswered questions about the treatment, so we’re here to help. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive about root canal therapy in New Lenox. If you don’t see the information that you’ve been looking for below, give us a call. We’d be happy to walk you through the treatment process so that you know what to expect.
How Much Pain Is Normal After a Root Canal?
The root canal procedure itself shouldn’t hurt, as your mouth will be numbed with a local anesthetic, but you may experience some soreness for a few days afterward. Over-the-counter pain relievers, like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, should be enough to manage this in the majority of cases. It’s best to avoid chewing on hard foods during the recovery period, as this can worsen discomfort.
What Should I Do Before a Root Canal?
In addition to eating a healthy meal and avoiding alcohol before your root canal, stay away from tobacco. Smoking can interfere with the numbing medication. Most dentists recommend taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen, before the procedure to reduce your discomfort as the numbness wears off. Do your best to get a good night’s sleep before your treatment. This can help to reduce your nerves and prepare your immune system for the recovery period.
How Long Does a Root Canal Take?
Root canal therapy can usually be completed in a single appointment. The length of a root canal can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes or more depending on the location of the tooth in the mouth. Molars have more root canals that need to be disinfected, so they tend to take longer. Ultimately, the further back your tooth is in your mouth, the longer the procedure is likely to take. Before your treatment starts, your dentist can give you a more specific expectation for how long it will take.
Can I Take Antibiotics Instead of Getting a Root Canal?
While antibiotics can treat bacterial infections in almost every other part of the body, they don’t work on tooth infections. Antibiotics travel through the bloodstream to target infected areas of the body, but the bloodstream does not reach the pulp of a tooth. Therefore, they are unable to eliminate an infection there. If a tooth is infected, the only ways to treat it are through root canal therapy and extraction.