Root Canal Houston Tx

Root Canal HoustonAlthough on any given trip to the dentist you may not necessarily realize it, there are a wide variety of different professions and specializations within the broad field of dentistry – and whenever you need dental work done, it is vitally important that you have the right kind of specialist for the job. The mouth is a very complicated part of the body, and subjects like treating gingivitis are not in the same overarching category as things like addressing a dental abscess, filling a cavity, or ensuring that proper orthodontic treatment is being provided in order to correctly address crowded or misaligned teeth. At Grand Parkway Smiles, our expert team have a combined experience in the field of dentistry totaling over 100 years, with particular specializations being well represented in order to ensure that anyone living around Houston Texas, can benefit from a variety of treatments executed to a high standard of professionalism. In addition to a variety of other specialties, we are particularly proud of our Endodontist services, which have the potential to help safeguard the health and well-being of our patients to a great degree.

Root Canal Cost

Anterior Root Canal $918.00

Bicuspid Root Canal  $1033.00

Molar Root Canal $1249.00

If financial considerations prevent you from getting the dental care you need, ask us about our affordable dental financing plans! (Prices above reflect options for our Cash Patients)

What is an Endodontist?

 The word “Endodontist” stems from Greek terms referring to “the inside of a tooth,” and this should give some hint as to what the role of an Endodontist is, in a dental surgery. The inner part of the tooth includes a soft tissue known as the “dental pulp,”which contains nerves, blood vessels, lymphatic tissue, and other important biological features. Whenever something happens that negatively affects the inner part of the tooth, it is important that these issues are addressed as quickly and effectively as possible, before a major issue develops. Damage to the pulp of the inner tooth can occur for a variety of different reasons, but the most typical will be an infection caused by bacteria getting in through a cavity or a failed filling. A root canal treatment will then typically need to be carried out in order to resolve the issue and prevent further complications. For this reason, Endodontists are most commonly involved in providing root canal treatments, and the quality of the Endodontist here matters a lot – as an improperly performed root canal may lead to a lingering infection, further complications, and may require follow-up procedures.

Why is it important to get a root canal done promptly?

 If you are in need of a root canal procedure, it is absolutely imperative that you get this procedure done as quickly as possible. As already mentioned, the inner part of the tooth – the “dental pulp” – is filled with blood vessels, lymph tissue, and different systems which connect to the rest of your body. One consequence of this is that any infection you get that affects this dental pulp, can easily and quickly spread and cause major health crises if allowed to. Throughout much of human history, it was common for people to die of terrible infections that stemmed from the mouth. This phenomenon still occurs today among some individuals who either neglect or don’t have access to dental care. Not only can an untreated tooth infection lead to blood poisoning, but it can also quickly lead to damage being done to the brain, as the mouth and brain are positioned close together. Serious brain infections have even been known to occur from improperly cleaned oral piercings. It is also the case that an unaddressed tooth infection can lead to the infection spreading to the bone of the jaw, causing osteonecrosis – or death of the bone – which then requires major surgery for a range of different reasons. Although the worst-case scenarios that can develop from untreated root canal are thankfully not very common, this is only because root canal treatments are usually undertaken early enough. One issue, however, is that a tooth infection that spreads to the root of your tooth may be the kind of thing that you initially write off, or that you leave alone in the hope that it will “get better by itself.” Unlike with certain infections in other parts of the body, however, conditions such as dental abscesses and infected tooth pulp and roots should not be expected to heal by themselves – and will only get worse the longer they are left alone. If you notice anything that seems like it might be a tooth infection starting, your best bet by far is to get down to the dentist as quickly as you can, for a professional consultation. As with all other procedures, the earlier you address the issue, the smoother the process will tend to be, and the higher the likelihood that you will be able to escape any further undesirable complications.

How does a root canal procedure work?

 The basic process of a root canal treatment involves removing the infected pulp within a tooth in order to eliminate the current infection itself, and in order to protect the tooth against further intrusion of microbes. The cavity that is left from the removal process is then filled in appropriately to maintain the structure and function of the tooth. Prior to any root canal procedure, there will be a variety of diagnostic tests which are carried out by the Endodontist in order to assess the situation as accurately as possible.

Some of these tests can include things such as:

A TTP percussion test – to see whether tenderness is felt when the tooth is tapped

  • Transillumination – where light is shone through the tooth to detect fractures
  • A mobility test – which involves seeing if the tooth is moving more than should be within the tooth socket
  • Radiographs
  • Dental pulp tests
  • A Tooth Slooth test – which involves the patient biting down a plastic instrument in order to assess whether pain occurs as a result, and if so, where.

Once it has been determined that a root canal procedure is necessary, the steps that follow include:

Opening the crown of the tooth

 Where the dentist uses a drill or other tool to make an opening through the enamel and dental tissues of the tooth, in order to access the tooth pulp and root.

Isolating the tooth

 Where the dentist sections off the tooth from the rest of the mouth using a rubber barrier system, in order to create a more hygienic working area free from saliva contamination, among other things. Some of the other benefits of isolating the tooth in this way include the fact that it makes it easier to apply strong medication appropriately in order to clean the root canal system, and that it protects the patient from accidentally breathing or swallowing the tools that are being used for the process.

Removal of the pulp tissue

 Using a variety of different specialized techniques, the dentist will work on removing the infected pulp tissue from the interior of the tooth, in order to cease the infection and prevent its spread throughout the rest of the mouth and body.

Small precision tools will be used to achieve this part of the task safely, effectively, and efficiently.

Irrigation

After the pulp has been removed, the root canal system needs to be flushed out and “irrigated” with a cleansing solution. There are a variety of different solutions that may be used for the process, but the overall point of the irrigation procedure is to kill any microbes within the area, in addition to dissolving any remaining pulpal tissue.

The specific solutions that are used for the irrigation process will typically be up to the specialist opinions and preferences of the dentist in question.

Filling the root canal

 Once the pulp has been removed and the canal has been irrigated, it is necessary to properly fill in the root canal in order to ensure that the area is hygienic and sealed off, and that the tooth maintains its structural integrity.

Typically, the canal will be filled with a material called gutta-percha, which is a polymer substance derived from the percha tree.

Temporary filling

 Once the root canals themselves have been filled, it is very important to seal up the tooth properly, since contact with saliva is known to lead to reinfection. Initially, a temporary tooth filling will be used, and will later be replaced when the healing process has further progressed.

Final stage

 The final stage of the root canal process involves covering up and sealing the tooth with a permanent fixture. In the case of molars and premolars, this will involve a crown that covers the cusps of the tooth. After the treatment has been completed, regular x-rays will be necessary in order to ensure that cavities are not causing damage to the tooth down the line, and leading to further complications.

What is a root canal microsurgery apicoectomy?

 An apicoectomy is a minor surgical procedure that is done in order to save teeth which are otherwise at serious risk, and to prevent potentially severe complications. An apicoectomy is also known as “root end surgery,” and involves removing the tooth’s root tip and the surrounding tissue. Typically, this procedure will be carried out in cases where you have had a root canal procedure done, but where there is still inflammation or infection located near the root tip, that reaches into your jawbone. An apicoectomy is a last step effort to save a tooth from extraction, so it is important to understand what’s at stake if your dentist advises you to get the procedure done as soon as possible. Though the procedure is more intrusive and painful than a standard root canal, it is still a minor surgery with pain usually improving significantly after the first few days, and with more than one third of patients choosing not to take pain medication following the procedure. As with standard root canal, the procedure will be done under local anesthetic. You will be awake throughout the procedure. The process involves the dentist or Endodontist cutting through the gum and pushing the tissue aside in order to reach the root, where they will typically then remove just a few millimeters of the root and surrounding tissue. After the root tip has been removed, the area will be cleaned, filled and sealed, and the gum tissue will be stitched back into place to allow healing.

What is the recovery time for a root canal procedure?

 It usually only takes a few days to recover from the initial root canal process, and to get over the initial pain. However, there will typically be various follow-up appointments and treatments in order to restore the tooth and ensure it has the greatest degree of structural integrity. Your dentist will give you specific instructions following your procedure on what to do during the recovery process, and it is important that you listen to them in order to ensure that complications are minimized, and that the healing process is as frictionless and as effective as possible. The area surrounding your tooth will tend to be extra sensitive for the first few days after the procedure, and your jaw itself may also hurt from having your mouth open for prolonged periods of time during the procedure. Icing your jaw may help with any pain you feel in the joint, while your dental professional will either offer prescribed medication for you to take, or will recommend over-the-counter painkillers to help handle any pain.

It’s important to avoid chewing hard foods, and to be gentle while brushing and flossing the area during the recovery process – especially when you’ve still only got the temporary filling in place.