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Root Canal Dentist in Calgary
When a tooth nerve becomes irreversibly inflamed or infected, a root canal treatment might be recommended to help you heal.
Before booking your root canal treatment, you should know about the procedure and what to expect before, during and after.
If you are experiencing severe tooth pain or have been told that you need a root canal, please contact our office for an evaluation.
What Is A Root Canal?
Root canals are the space inside the hard layers of each of your teeth.
Within each canal, there is a bundle of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue that help the teeth to grow and develop. This bundle, called pulp, can become inflamed or infected leading to pain and sensitivity to biting and temperature changes.
Normally, the dental pulp is protected by hard layers of dentin and enamel, but deep decay or fractures due to biting or other trauma can injure the pulp and allow bacteria to enter the chamber.
Root Canal vs. Crown
Typically during a root canal treatment, the dentist uses local anesthesia to ensure patient comfort, and the pulp inside the tooth is removed.
We then clean and shape the void inside the affected tooth and fill is with a material called gutta-percha.
- A temporary or permanent filling will be placed into the access cavity until a crown can be placed over the tooth which should be done as soon as possible once the root canal procedure is completed.
- A crown, also known as a cap, is a hollow, artificial tooth used to cover a damaged or decayed tooth. The crown restores the tooth and protects it from further damage. Crowns can also be used to cover a discoloured or misshapen tooth. A tooth that has been fixed with a crown looks and works very much like a natural tooth. There are a variety of materials that a crown can be made out of.
Almost all teeth that have root canal therapy will require a crown to prevent the tooth from fracturing.
Meet Dr. Tom Shackleton
Our general dentist that focuses his practice around root canals and facial pain.
Dr. Tom Shackleton, DDS at Sierra Dental is a general dentist that focuses his practice around performing root canals and facial pain. He has been practicing in Calgary for over 20 years.
He is a member of the Alberta Dental Association & College and the Canadian Dental Association.
Dr. Shackleton performs a variety of procedures daily including root canals, endodontic retreatment, oral medicine, TMJ and orofacial pain.
Root Canal Calgary
Root canal treatments are usually done in one to two visits. Each visit can last up to one and a half hours, depending on your situation.
When a patient is recommended for a root canal treatment, it is likely because an x-ray showed signs of dental infection around the root of the tooth or because their nerve is irreversibly damaged or has died which can sometimes result in pain and swelling.
This means that other forms of treatment have been ruled out by your dentist.
Root Canal Treatment Steps
Root Canals Are Safe and Gentle
- During your treatment with us, our dentist will perform a procedure to ensure that you are a suitable candidate for a root canal treatment.
- Our dentist will then proceed to administer anesthesia around the infected tooth and place a rubber dam near it to keep the area dry. This will ensure your comfort during the procedure.
- Drilling, which usually takes about 5 minutes, will help clean out any pulp and bacteria inside the tooth. During this step, your tooth will be rinsed with disinfectant to help wash out any debris.
- The tooth may or may not get resealed, depending on the circumstances of your case. For example, some root canals may take a few visits to complete, in which case a temporary filling will be placed over the hole to be finished in the next visit.
- If this procedure is completed by a dentist other than your main provider, a procedure report will be sent to your dentist, who will schedule an appointment for you in two or three weeks. During this follow-up appointment, your tooth will be prepared for a crown and you will leave with a temporary crown. One to two weeks later you will have another visit when your permanent crown will be inserted.
Though the pain may subside after the first visit for a root canal, it’s important to finish the procedure to avoid further infection.
A dentist may recommend a root canal to a patient after weighing different treatment options. Sometimes, there’s no way around a root canal when it comes to the damaged dental pulp, and ignoring the problem will only result in pain and potential worsening of tooth decay or infection.
The only case where you are not suitable for a root canal is if you have experienced a significant bone loss or decay that makes your tooth not suitable for a crown. If this is the case, our dentists can recommend alternative treatments for you.
A tooth should recover to full usage after a successful root canal procedure and recovery.
Other alternatives are available such as tooth extraction, and root irrigation but these alternatives may be more invasive or won’t provide the same long-term solutions as a root canal. An implant may also be an option that your dentist can discuss with you.
Root canal treatments are typically more cost-effective than tooth removal, followed by a crown procedure.
Over-the-counter pain medications may be used to help regulate pain, or stronger pain medication may be prescribed if needed.
In either case, it’s important for patients to closely follow medication instructions and note these medications could make them drowsy.
Tenderness may last for a few days after a root canal.
A few things to notice include swelling in the gums, or if your bite feels uneven.
You should contact your dentist if you have any questions or experience severe pain for more than a few days.
Sierra Dental accepts new patients and takes pride in doing our best to provide comfortable root canal procedures to our patients.
Evening & Weekend Appointment
We understand that you are busy and don’t always have time to visit a dentist for a routine checkup in the middle of your Monday. That’s why we offer extended hours from 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM Monday through Thursday.
We are also open all throughout the weekend. That’s right, we’re open every day of the week.
Direct Billing To Insurance Plans
To support our clients, we offer direct billing, predeterminations of treatments, and financial arrangements to all our patients to ensure smooth and easy payment transactions.
Payment Plans & Financing Available
We understand that dental services can be an unexpected expense. That’s why we offer flexible payment plans and options to suit our patients’ needs. Speak with one of our dental assistants to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your dentist thinks root canal therapy is a good solution to treat your tooth, a typical appointment will last 60 – 90 minutes, depending on the complexity of your tooth.
Lastly, all teeth will require a buildup (commonly known as a filling) to close the hole created to remove the nerve. Most teeth will require a crown after a root canal, so it is important that you see your dentist shortly after your treatment is completed. Delay of this process may result in the tooth breaking, so this procedure should not be delayed. Studies show that teeth that are restored within 2 weeks of root canal treatment have the highest success rates.
- Avoid biting down on hard or sticky foods.
- Take over-the-counter painkillers if you experience some pain or swelling
- If this persists passed a few days or becomes more severe, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible.
You should maintain excellent oral hygiene habits to avoid the need for further treatment. This includes brushing at least twice daily, flossing daily, avoiding sugary or acidic food and drink, not smoking, and seeing your dentist for regular cleanings.
- Making the room completely dark and cool.
- Listening to relaxing music or sounds so your thoughts can drift without trying too hard to sleep.
- Breathing in and out gently to loosen stiff body parts.
Avoid focusing on the pain or discomfort, as this may cause stress, which may make it harder to sleep.
When a root canal treatment is performed, the dentist creates an access hole through the top of the tooth to ensure the inner pulp can be expertly removed. This process helps to remove any leftover nerve tissue but also hollows out the tooth structure. The hollow tooth structure then becomes more susceptible to fractures over time. By placing a crown on the tooth, the dentist can tie the cusps together and ensure the tooth is much less likely to fracture during day-to-day activities.
Crowns Can Help To Prevent the Failure of the Root Canal
After going through a challenging oral care treatment such as a root canal, the last thing a patient wants is to go for more treatment in the immediate days afterward. However, they may have to if the root canal treatment fails. A root canal may fail if contaminants from the mouth find their way through the dental restoration and into the tooth, potentially causing infection and other dental issues. Crowns can be used to help prevent the failure of the root canal by stopping contaminants from entering the tooth initially, allowing the restoration time to heal. A qualified dentist working with a dental crown can help ensure root canal success and ensure the tooth is healed for the long-term.