At the core of your tooth there is an area we call the pulp, which is the nerve of your tooth where blood and nutrients circulate. If the pulp is damaged it becomes susceptible to infection and can result in pain, swelling, bone damage and loss of the tooth. To save the original tooth and avoid these complications, our North York dentists often recommend Root Canal Therapy.
Root Canal Therapy allows us to save your tooth rather than replacing it with an implant or denture. The process involves creating an opening in the top of your tooth. The pulp in the ‘root canal’ is completely removed and the ‘canal’ is cleaned out, shaped and smoothed. During this process, any found infection is treated and all bacteria is cleaned out.
Once the canal is cleared of infection, it is filled and sealed. Because the tooth will no longer receive vital nutrients it will become brittle compared to surrounding teeth. For this reason we create a Crown or Cap to strengthen and protect your tooth’s chewing surface, especially if it was a molar. Once ready, the Crown is cemented in place and ‘your tooth’ rather than an artificial replacement keeps its place in your smile.
You may notice that the treated tooth will often darken or discolour once the pulp is removed. If the treatment was on one of your front teeth, a Teeth Whitening procedure can brighten up that tooth along with the rest of your smile.
A root canal involves a few visits to our North York Dental Office as the procedure is done in stages to allow for proper healing and to ensure that all infection is gone.
At our North York dental office, our fees are based on the most current Ontario Dental Association fee guides.
If you have any questions about the costs of any of our dental services, please contact us so one of our staff members can clarify and guide you through the price determinations.
You can find our patient referral form here. We provide dental care for the whole family, including children's dentistry and emergency dental care.
