FAQs

Root canal treatment involves the removal of damaged or infected soft tissues (pulp) on the inside of your tooth and tooth’s root. The space is then disinfected to kill any bacteria, and once clean, the canal space within the root is filled and sealed so that bacteria cannot enter this space in the future. 

Short answer: not at all!

With the advent of new anesthetics and techniques, modern day root canal treatment is meant to be completely painless. Endodontists are highly trained in utilizing advanced local anesthesia techniques in order to ensure that you are completely comfortable during your procedure. 

Short answer: no, and there’s no need.  

A root canal is a non-traumatic procedure, similar to getting a filling. However, we understand that some patient experience severe dental anxiety, which is why we offer conscious sedation. You’ll be awake but in a much more relaxed state, and will vaguely remember what happened. Ask us about sedation PRIOR to your appointment. 

Short answer: yes, unless you opt for oral sedation (e.g Valium)

Non-surgical endodontic treatment (root canal treatment and retreatment) is an atraumatic, non-surgical procedure, meaning you won’t have any incisions, open wounds, stitches, etc.
Everything is done with local numbing of the  tooth, exactly like a filling. You won’t be drowsy and there will only be mild discomfort once your numbness wears off. 

Short answer: 1

At Empire Endodontics, we complete almost all root canal treatment, root canal retreatment, and apicoectomy cases in a single visit. Sometimes, your treatment appointment will be subsequent to and separate from your exam appointment.  

Short answer: about 1 hour

The amount of time it takes to do a root canal depends on the type of tooth and whether or not it has previously had a root canal. Treatment time ranges from 40 to 90 minutes. As a general rule, back teeth (molars) take more time because they have more roots. 

Short answer: no.

We remove the soft tissue (pulp) that’s inside the hollow canal within your roots. Think of your root as a light pole that is hollow inside, with wires running through it. We remove the wires inside. 

Most of the time, damage to or infection of the tooth’s nerve is accompanied by pain and symptoms. However, this is not always the case. An infection or abscess associated with the nerve & roots can be present or a cavity may have reached the nerve but not cause any pain. Even if you’ve previously had a painful tooth that needed a root canal, you might experience completely different symptoms or no symptoms on a different tooth that also needs a root canal. Each situation is unique. 

Short answer: yes.

We highly recommend that you wait until your numbness wear off first. 

Short answer: this is a misconception. A root canal-treated tooth can last a lifetime.  

If there are no canals left untreated, all of the roots have been disinfected and sealed to their full length, and root canal treatment is initially successful, then there is no reason for treatment to fail at a later date unless a new, deep cavity forms or the tooth fractures. This common misconception stems from asymptomatic root canal failure, meaning that the root canal was not initially successful and something was missed. However, there were no signs or symptoms that indicated failure until later on, when an infection is noted on an x-ray, or by the sudden occurrence of symptoms. This causes the patient to think that the root canal had been fine this whole time and “went bad” all of a sudden. In reality, there was an issue with the root canal in the first place; it just didn’t cause pain. Root canal treatment is a highly successful procedure which aims to save your natural tooth for a lifetime. Once properly restored with a crown, a root canal-treated tooth will last indefinitely. 

Short answer: no, because nothing feels and functions like your natural tooth. 

Although pulling a tooth may appear to be an easier and more cost-effective option initially, tooth extraction can be more costly in the long run. This is because replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant or a bridge involves higher costs, time, and multiple appointments. There is also significantly more discomfort after an extraction, as compared to root canal treatment.  

Short answer: little to none.

Although you may experience no discomfort once your numbness wears off, most patients report mild pain for 1 to 2 day after having root canal treatment. Your tooth will likely be slightly tender to biting for a few days, but over-the-counter ibuprofen and Tylenol will easily control your discomfort.  

Once the nerve (pulp) of the tooth becomes infected and dies, there is no more blood flow going inside your tooth. Since antibiotics reach the site of infection via the bloodstream, the necrotic pulp tissue inside your tooth won’t be reached by the antibiotics. This is why root canal treatment exists; we have to physically go in and deliver the disinfecting solution to kill the bacteria causing infection. 

Root canal treatment has been performed safely and successfully for over half a century, and is meant to cure disease and infection, not cause it. All of the instruments we use are completely sterilized. The filling material used to seal the root canal system does not actually come into contact with any living tissues but regardless, it’s completely inert and biocompatible. There is no current scientific evidence linking root canal treatment to any illness. For more information regarding root canal safety, please click here.  

Short answer: not all teeth need a root canal before a crown.

Almost all teeth need a crown (cap) placed on them after receiving a root canal, but not all teeth receiving a crown need a root canal beforehand. In teeth which have not had a root canal and receive a crown only, about 20% end up needing root canal treatment in the future. This is not a high enough percentage to justify doing a root canal on every tooth that is planned for crown placement. 

Short answer: no, we go through the crown and are very careful to make sure that nothing happens to it.

If you have a tooth with a crown (cap) which is in need of root canal treatment, don’t worry. We go through crowns to do root canals all the time. A small hole is made in the chewing surface of your crown which is later closed with a filling. Your crown will look, function, and be just as strong as before. There is no need to cut your crown off unless you need a new crown anyways. 

Short answer: because the inflammation and infection inside your tooth has reached the jaw bone at the tip of your roots. The nerves in your bone are still alive.

The hollow canals inside your tooth have an opening at the end of your root, leading to your jaw bone. This is similar to an enclosed waterslide which eventually dumps into open water. So even though the nerves inside your tooth are dead and cannot send pain signals, the infection inside the root canal system inevitably leaks out the end of the root and into the surrounding jaw bone, causing inflammation and pain signals from the nerves in your bone. It is also possible to have a few nerve fibers still alive within your tooth, even if the majority of the nerve fibers are infected/dead.