Huntsville SmilesDentistry
Hours (705) 788-9229

Autumn · Restore

Root canal treatment

Tend a cedar’s roots, and it can stand by the water for decades. Root canal treatment tends a tooth’s roots so you can keep it.

Root canal treatment removes an infected or inflamed nerve from inside a tooth. It relieves pain and lets you keep your natural tooth instead of losing it.

(705) 788-9229
Oil painting of twisted cedar roots gripping the stones of a riverbank above clear amber water

Inside every tooth is soft tissue called the pulp, which holds nerves and blood vessels. Deep decay, a crack or an injury can let bacteria in. The pulp can become inflamed or infected. That can cause a lot of pain and sometimes an abscess, a pocket of infection at the tip of the root.

Root canal treatment has a reputation it doesn’t deserve. The infection is usually what hurts, not the treatment, and the pain often eases once the tooth is treated.

How it works

  1. 01

    Finding the cause

    We test the tooth and take x-rays to find the source of the pain and see whether the tooth can be saved. Complex cases may be referred to a specialist.

  2. 02

    Numbing

    We numb the tooth thoroughly and place a thin protective sheet around it to keep it clean and dry.

  3. 03

    Cleaning the canals

    Through a small opening, we remove the infected pulp, then clean and shape the narrow canals inside the roots.

  4. 04

    Sealing

    We fill and seal the canals to keep bacteria out, then close the opening with a filling.

  5. 05

    Protecting the tooth

    Back teeth usually need a crown afterwards, because a treated tooth can become brittle and crack.

Afterwards

The tooth may feel tender for a few days, especially when you bite. Over-the-counter pain medicine usually helps. Avoid chewing hard foods on that side until the tooth has its final filling or crown. If swelling grows, you get a fever, or the pain gets worse instead of better, call us.

Questions people ask

Does a root canal hurt?

We numb the tooth thoroughly, so the treatment itself should feel like a longer filling appointment. Some tenderness for a few days afterwards is normal.

Wouldn’t it be simpler to pull the tooth?

Sometimes removing a tooth is the right choice, and we’ll tell you if so. But keeping your natural tooth is usually worth it. A gap can let other teeth shift, and replacing a tooth with a bridge or implant takes more time and cost.

How long does a treated tooth last?

With a good seal and, for back teeth, a crown, a treated tooth can last for many years.

Is root canal treatment covered by insurance?

Many plans cover part of the cost, but it depends on your plan. We’ll give you a written estimate before treatment and can send a pre-determination to your insurer.

Related care

Along the same trail

All care
A potter’s hands shaping a small ivory porcelain cup on a pottery wheel in a sunlit studio Porcelain crowns Custom porcelain caps that cover and protect a weak or broken tooth. Learn more Oil painting of a cabin with one warmly lit window across a dark lake at night, its golden reflection on the water beneath pines and stars Emergency dentistry Prompt help for toothaches, broken teeth and injuries. Visitors welcome. Learn more A hand gently lifting a smooth pale stone out of clear, shallow lake water above a bed of pebbles Extractions & oral surgery Gentle tooth removal, including wisdom teeth, with clear aftercare advice. Learn more

Come sit a while.

New patients, returning patients and visitors to Muskoka are all welcome. Tell us what’s going on and we’ll find a time that suits you.

(705) 788-9229

Hours: Mon–Thu, 8 am – 5 pm