Root Canal & Endodontics in the Tampa Bay area

A root canal, which is sometimes referred to as endodontic treatment, is a type of surgery that removes infected soft pulp tissue from within a tooth. Typically, the tissue becomes infected after a tooth has decayed enough to expose it.

While untreated tooth decay is the most prevalent cause of infected soft pulp tissue, there are other ways that this tissue can be exposed. For example, extreme trauma to a tooth can crack it, leaving the inner tissue exposed. Likewise, a leaky tooth filling can fail to protect the inside of the tooth, exposing the pulp tissue and causing it to become infected.

Once the tissue inside your tooth is infected, it's typically impossible to save it. In such a situation, you need endodontic treatment to save the tooth. The only option after that is to remove the tooth completely.

That being said, how do you know that you need dental root canal treatment? If you get regular dental checkups, the dentist will let you know if you need endodontic treatment. If you are visiting your dentist twice a year, you will likely never need this dental procedure as a result of decay. However, trauma or an ill-fitted filling might still result in the need for this type of treatment.

Thankfully, you can look for a few signs that might indicate that you need a root canal dentist. If you experience pain in your tooth when biting into food or persistent tooth pain in general, something is wrong. Oftentimes, the pain will be so bad that it will keep you up at night or even be sensitive to the touch.

While endodontic treatment might seem complicated, it's really not. In fact, the whole procedure typically takes only an hour or two to complete. To start with, your dentist will numb the gums around your tooth. Doing so ensures that you don't feel any pain during the procedure.

From there, your dentist will make an opening on the top of your tooth to gain access to the pulp chamber. From this opening, your Tampa Bay area dentist will be able to use dental instruments to remove the infected pulp and clean the inside of the tooth. Typically, a fluid is placed within the canals of the tooth to remove debris and disinfect the chamber. With the chamber cleaned, you should experience no pain after the procedure.

Afterward, your dentist fills the tooth with a dental safe substance called gutta-percha. This rubbery-like substance is safe to fill your tooth with and leave in your mouth. Then, the tooth is sealed, and a crown is placed over the top of it. This root canal crown is put in place to keep the tooth and filling from fracturing.

There is no set amount for endodontic treatment. The amount of money that you have to pay depends on a number of factors. For example, the more damaged that your tooth is, the more preparation that your dentist will have to do before the operation can begin.

Also, you have to consider which tooth needs the procedure. Typically, having this procedure done on a molar costs more than it does for smaller teeth.

Lastly, you have to consider your location. The cost of endodontic treatment varies from city to city. The good news is that many dental insurance policies partially cover the cost of the treatment. Thus, your out-of-pocket expense could be lower if you have dental coverage. If you need help checking your dental insurance plan to see if you are covered, call our dental office. We can verify your dental benefits for you.