Root Canal Therapy
The most misunderstood treatment in dentistry
Say root canal at a dinner party and watch everyone wince. The reputation is so bad it became a figure of
speech, and it is decades out of date. Here is the truth we tell every worried patient. The pain people
associate with root canals comes from the infection, not the treatment. The root canal is what ends that pain.
With modern anesthetic and technique, the procedure itself feels remarkably like getting a filling, just a
longer appointment.
Deep inside each tooth is soft tissue called the pulp, carrying the nerve and blood supply. When deep decay
or a crack lets bacteria reach the pulp, it becomes infected, and that infection is what produces the legendary
throbbing toothache. The pressure has nowhere to go, so it builds. Root canal therapy releases it, clears the
infection, and saves the tooth.
Root Canal Therapy
How you know a tooth is in trouble
The classic signs are hard to ignore. Lingering pain after hot or cold, an ache that throbs with your heartbeat
or wakes you at night, pain when you bite down, swelling or a pimple like bump on the gum near the tooth, or
a tooth darkening compared with its neighbors. Sometimes, though, an infected tooth stays quiet and only
shows itself on an X-ray, which is one more argument for regular exams.
Whatever brought you here, do not wait it out. Tooth infections do not heal on their own, and untreated ones
can spread into the jaw and beyond. If any of this sounds like your tooth, call (512) 646-4420 today and we
will get you seen quickly.
Root Canal Therapy
What actually happens during treatment
First and most importantly, we make sure you are completely numb, and we verify it before starting. Nitrous
oxide is available if nerves are running high. Then Dr. Salinas creates a small opening in the tooth, removes
the infected pulp, cleans and disinfects the canals inside the roots, and seals them with a biocompatible filling
material. The appointment usually runs about an hour, sometimes a bit more for molars.
Most patients need a crown afterward, because a tooth that has had a root canal becomes more brittle over
time, and a crown protects it for the long haul. We plan that with you from the start so you know the
complete picture, including costs, before treatment begins.
Root Canal Therapy
Relief, recovery, and keeping the tooth for life
The change patients describe is dramatic. The deep ache that made sleeping impossible is gone, replaced by a
few days of mild tenderness that responds to ibuprofen. Most people return to work the next day. Within a
week or two, you will mostly forget which tooth it was.
A tooth treated with a root canal and protected by a crown can last the rest of your life with ordinary care.
That is the real point of all this. Pulling the tooth is sometimes presented as the cheaper option, but replacing
a missing tooth properly costs more than saving the one you have. When a tooth can be saved, saving it is
nearly always the right call, and we will show you exactly why on your own X-rays.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions About Sedation Dentistry
Not with modern technique. You will be completely numb throughout, and most patients say it felt like a long
filling appointment. The days of gritting through root canal pain ended a generation ago, and the treatment is
what relieves the toothache you came in with.
Usually about an hour, occasionally a little more for back molars with multiple canals. Many treatments finish
in a single visit, and we will tell you up front if yours needs two.
Because nothing we can make is quite as good as the tooth you grew. Extraction plus a proper replacement,
like an implant, costs more than a root canal and crown in most cases. When saving the tooth is realistic, it is
nearly always the better path, and when it truly is not, we will tell you that honestly too.
Related services
Emergency Dentistry
Toothaches and dental accidents do not check your calendar first. When something breaks, swells, or hurts,
call us at (512) 646-4420
Dental Crowns
Fillings are wonderful for small and medium repairs, but they have limits. When a tooth is cracked, worn flat
from grinding, broken, or so heavily filled
Restorative Dentistry
From natural-looking fillings and crowns to implants and root canal therapy, we
rebuild smiles to full strength and beauty.
Ready to schedule?
Visit Our Office — 512ooth Family Dentistry, 8701 W State Hwy 71 #102, Austin, TX 78735.