Root Canal Therapy in Chicago, IL

The reputation is far worse than the reality. Before treatment begins, the tooth and the tissue around it are fully numbed with local anesthesia, so what you feel during a root canal is mild pressure and movement rather than pain. Many patients are surprised to find it no more eventful than having a filling placed.

It helps to remember what a root canal is actually doing. The severe, throbbing pain that brings people in is caused by the infected pulp inside the tooth, and removing that tissue is what ends the pain rather than creating it.

Afterward, it is normal for the tooth to feel a little tender for a day or two as the area settles. That soreness is usually mild and responds well to over-the-counter pain relievers.

A typical root canal is finished in one appointment that runs about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on which tooth is involved and how many canals it has. Front teeth tend to go quickly, while molars with several curved canals take longer.

Occasionally a tooth with unusually complex anatomy or a stubborn infection is treated over two visits so it can be cleaned and medicated thoroughly. Dr. Raffi will walk you through the plan and tell you exactly what to expect before any work starts.

An infected tooth does not heal on its own, and putting off a root canal simply gives the infection time to move deeper. What often follows is a painful abscess at the tip of the root, loss of the bone that supports the tooth, and eventually loss of the tooth itself.

The trouble is not always confined to your mouth, either. In some cases an untreated dental infection can spread to surrounding tissues and become a more serious health concern that is harder and costlier to resolve. Treating the tooth promptly keeps a manageable problem from turning into an urgent one.

A root canal is meant to be a permanent fix. Once the tooth has been treated and properly restored, it can last a lifetime with the same care you give the rest of your teeth: daily brushing and flossing plus regular checkups.

The restoration on top matters just as much as the root canal itself. Covering the treated tooth with a crown protects it from fracture and is one of the biggest factors in how many years it goes on serving you.

In nearly every case, keeping your own tooth with a root canal is the better choice. Nothing replaces a natural tooth quite as well, and saving it avoids the added cost and treatment time that come with an extraction and its replacement.

Holding on to the natural tooth offers several advantages:

• You keep your natural bite and chewing strength
• Neighboring teeth stay put instead of drifting into the gap
• The jawbone around the root is preserved
• You sidestep the expense of a bridge or implant

Extraction becomes the sensible option only when a tooth is too damaged or fractured to save. You can weigh the two paths side by side on our Root Canal vs. Implant page.

Most of the time, yes. A root canal hollows out the inner structure that once gave the tooth its strength, which leaves it more brittle and prone to cracking under everyday chewing. A crown caps the tooth, rebuilds that strength, and shields it from fracture.

Front teeth are the occasional exception. Because they take on lighter biting forces, some can be restored with a filling alone. Dr. Raffi will look at how much healthy structure remains and recommend the restoration that protects your tooth best.

The price of a root canal depends mainly on which tooth needs treatment, since a front tooth with one canal is simpler than a molar with three or four, and on whether any additional work is required. Because of that, we give you a clear estimate before treatment rather than a one-size-fits-all number.

Our Chicago and Bourbonnais, IL offices work with most dental insurance plans, and we are glad to review your benefits with you. If you would like to spread the cost out, ask about our financing options for flexible payment plans.

Root canals succeed more than 95% of the time, so failure is uncommon. Now and then a treated tooth develops a new infection, or a canal proves difficult to seal completely, and symptoms return months or years later.

When that happens, the tooth can often still be saved with retreatment, a procedure we offer that reopens the tooth, clears the new infection, and reseals it. If you notice renewed pain or swelling in a tooth that has already had a root canal, let us know so we can take a look.