Root Canal - Pearland, TX
Stop Your Pain and Save Your Tooth
Do you have an infected tooth? You do not need to have it pulled out. Often, we can save it with a root canal. Although they have a bad reputation for being painful, you have nothing to fear. New advancements in dentistry now make them no worse than a traditional dental filling. We can quickly stop your pain and reinstate the health of your tooth using state-of-the-art dentistry.
Three Reasons to Choose Eco Dental
- Unparalleled Experience & Qualifications
- Precise & Comfortable Dental Care
- Elite Technology
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is an endodontic treatment that removes the inner layer of your tooth called the pulp. The pulp is the nerve center for your tooth. It is necessary while your tooth is still developing, but it can survive without it after it has fully formed. By removing the pulp, it stops the infection from spreading and your discomfort to eliminate the need for extraction.
Do I Need a Root Canal?
Root canals are one of the most common restorative procedures performed in the U.S., but they are only recommended when there are no other viable options to save your tooth. Your emergency dentist assesses your tooth and discusses your symptoms to determine if a root canal is in your best interest. You may need one if you experience:
- Lingering tooth sensitivity.
- Darkening of the tooth.
- Pain when placing pressure on the tooth.
- Pimple-like bump appearing on the gum near the tooth.
What Can I Expect?
If you are worried about pain during the procedure, Dr. Nguyen or Dr. Hua may recommend the use of sedation. Generally, only a local anesthetic is all that is needed. Your dentist removes the areas of damage from your tooth and extracts the pulp. Your tooth is sterilized before it is sealed with a special material called gutta-percha.
In most cases, a dental crown will need to be placed over the tooth. An impression of your mouth is taken to create a custom-made cap that fits over the entire visible surface to the gum line. This can take a couple of appointments to complete to ensure it meets your exact needs. Now, all-ceramic material is used, so you can rest assured it will look natural.
Recovery & Aftercare
If is normal for your tooth to be tender for a few days, so you may want to avoid chewing with it until your pain subsides. You can manage your discomfort using an over-the-counter pain reliever. It is important to maintain your oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly to ensure your tooth stays healthy.
How Much Does a Root Canal Cost?
There is no set cost for root canals because the amount is determined by your individual treatment plan. We provide you with a custom estimate and discuss your payment options. We help you maximize the value of your insurance policy to reduce the amount you need to pay. We also accept a variety of payment methods, including CareCredit.
Schedule an Appointment
If you have an infected tooth, do not have it pulled! Contact our office today to schedule your consultation for a root canal.
Root Canal FAQs
Very few people ever expect to need a root canal, but this restorative dentistry procedure is much more common than you might think. Because there are so many false rumors out there about root canals, you may have some worries before going through with the procedure. To set your mind at ease, we’ll address all of your concerns beforehand. In the meantime, we have included the answers to a few frequently asked questions about root canal therapy below.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Root Canals?
While every dental insurance policy is slightly different, most of them consider root canal therapy a major restorative treatment. As such, they’ll usually cover around 50% of the cost of the procedure.
At Eco Dental, our skilled team members have years of experience maximizing patients’ insurance benefits. We work with a long list of PPO plans and offer in-network savings with Aetna. We’ll even file your claims on your behalf to make the payment process as stress-free as possible for you.
Can I Wait to Have a Root Canal?
No one has the time in their day for an extra dental appointment, but if we recommend getting a root canal, you shouldn’t delay receiving the care your smile needs. Root canal therapy is used as a last resort to remove a tooth’s damaged or infected pulp and prevent it from having to be extracted entirely. If you wait too long to get a root canal, the damage may have become so severe that the tooth must be removed and replaced, which can result in higher dental bills for you. That’s why we highly suggest you schedule your root canal as soon as possible.
Why Do I Need a Root Canal If My Tooth Doesn’t Hurt?
Some patients who need a root canal experience a searing toothache that eventually disappears. Others never feel any discomfort at all. However, pain is far from the only symptom that a root canal is needed.
Teeth are incapable of healing themselves on their own. In fact, the opposite is true; without treatment, dental health issues will inevitably worsen. As the infection damages the pulp inside the tooth, it may effectively “kill” the nerves inside it. At this point, you may not feel any pain. However, if you don’t get a root canal, the damage could spread to the surrounding teeth or other oral structures, resulting in the need for more invasive (and expensive) treatments down the road.
How Can I Prevent the Need for Another Root Canal in the Future?
More often than not, infections that necessitate root canal therapy are caused by poor oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing twice a day and visiting our office for checkups and cleanings twice a year can go a long way in avoiding the need for future root canals.