It is our goal to make your visit pain free. The delivery of the anesthetic as well as the type and amount used help to achieve this. However, sometimes there are variables. For instance if the tooth has been symptomatic for a long time, it is often more difficult to get it numb. That is why it is important to get endodontic treatment as soon as you are referred and/or before the symptoms have progressed too far. If this is the case, we will add the necessary amount of anesthetic to make sure your are numb before we begin. This takes time. In most cases, treatment is pain free. Many many patients leave with the comment, " I can't believe it, but I did not feel a thing."
Because we have changed the environment of the tooth (for the better, but the tooth does not realize this!)- you may have some discomfort after the procedure. The best thing to combat this is to take an over the counter antiinflammatory such as Advil or ibuprofen, if you are able. We will go over specific instructions as to how much/how often right after your appointment.
Yes. Most patients' insurance does cover a portion of the treatment. We will process all of your paperwork for you and will be able to tell you roughly how much they will pay.
About an hour. We use a surgical operating microscope during each procedure, which considerably reduces the time it use to require.
Some root canal cases are more complex and difficult to treat than others. That is why there are specialists. We are endodontic dental specialists, who have three additional years of advanced training after completing dental school. We limit our practice to root canal treatment and other procedures involvong the soft inner tissue of the tooth referred to as the pulp. By referring you to a specialist who performs nothing but endodontic procedures, your family dentist is demonstrating a personal concern for the quality of your dental care.
