Testimonials
"I can't say enough about Dr. Miller, as a person and a dentist. I was terrified of going but once there, his office and he were very pleasant and comforting."
"I had a severe case of "dental phobia" until I met and was treated by Dr. Gallucci. A root canal was not my idea of meeting a new dentist, however before, during and after the treatment I was very comfortable and pleased with the results. All in all, the procedure was uneventful. Future cleaning, fillings, etc. will no longer be a concern."
Root Canal Therapy
Treat an unhealthy tooth nerve in order to maintain the tooth.
The Problem:
- Tooth that has decayed or fractured deep enough to contact the nerve
- Worsening pain from contact with hot or cold liquids
- Pain when biting down or pushing on tooth
- Pain that is constant and throbbing
- Swollen gum area, side of face, or bad taste in mouth
- Pain that wakes one up at night
The Solution:
Inside each tooth is a canal(s) that contains the nerves and blood supply for the tooth. When the nerve becomes infected due to decay or injury, it must be removed from the canals of each root. Once the infected nerve is removed and the canals are thoroughly cleaned and shaped, a bio-compatible filling material is placed in the canals.
All posterior teeth and some anterior teeth that have had root canal therapy must be protected with a tooth-like artificial covering known as a crown (see crown section.) This is true because teeth that have had root canal therapy are more susceptible to fracture and therefore must be protected.
Advantages:
Root canal therapy is an excellent way to save a tooth that would otherwise die and need to be removed.
Disadvantages:
If a tooth is sick, there are no disadvantages to root canal therapy. On rare occasions, however, root canal therapy may need to be redone to ensure that all of the infection has been removed.
Alternatives:
The only real alternative is to extract the tooth. However, this typically will require a bridge or dental implant to fill the empty space. These solutions will ultimately cost more than the root canal therapy and will usually not attain the results possible by restoring the natural tooth.