Root Canal Treatment – Concord, NH

Soothing the Aches of Damaged Teeth

To be honest, not all toothaches are caused by severe oral issues. A tooth’s pain can often stem from minor problems – a wedged popcorn kernel, sinus pressure, etc. Still, pay close attention if your teeth have been hurting for a while. That symptom may mean you need a root canal treatment here in Concord, which would relieve your pain and save your smile. Read on to learn more about this service, or book a consultation soon.

Why Choose Charm Smile Dental for Root Canal Treatment?

  • Dentist with Advanced Training
  • Multiple Sedation Options for Nervous Patients
  • In-network with Most PPO Dental Insurance Plans

Do I Need Root Canal Treatment?

Please note that a root canal removes your tooth’s infected pulp. Therefore, you likely need the treatment if you show signs of a tooth infection. The most common symptoms for one are:

  • Sensitive Tooth – Teeth infected by bacteria tend to have exposed dentin, which is often sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.
  • Persistent Tooth Pain – Everyone gets occasional tooth pain, but it’s not normal for this ache to be persistent. Enduring discomfort suggests the tooth is infected.
  • A Discolored Tooth – A tooth’s surface often turns dark when infected.
  • Tooth Looseness – An infected tooth may produce a puss that softens the bone beneath it. When that happens, the tooth will feel looser.
  • Swollen Gums – Your infected tooth’s pus could collect in your gums, making them feel swollen or tender.

The Root Canal Process

Though root canals can be invasive, most don’t take long. A dentist can usually perform one in just thirty minutes to an hour, with only severe cases needing ninety minutes or more.

Our practice’s root canal treatment has several key steps. To start off, we’ll numb your mouth with anesthesia so the procedure won’t hurt; you’ll only feel slight pressure at most. Our team will then use dental tools to reach your tooth’s inner chamber and remove its pulp. From there, we’ll sanitize this interior and refill it with gutta-percha (i.e., filling material). Dr. Homzi will wrap up the treatment by sealing your tooth and giving it a temporary crown.

After the initial session, you’ll likely attend a follow-up a few weeks later. We’ll set your permanent dental crown to replace the temporary one at that time. Once that’s done, the placed cap will protect your tooth for years.

The Benefits of Getting a Root Canal

A root canal treatment has many upsides, including the following:

  • Tooth Protection – Since a root canal protects your tooth from further harm, it prevents further decay.
  • Tooth Preservation – A root canal saves your tooth by removing its infected pulp. To that extent, it lets you avoid a costly tooth extraction or restoration later.
  • Toothache Relief – A tooth’s infected pulp will often cause a lot of pain. Thankfully,  root canals remove this tissue to get rid of your aches.
  • Long-Lasting Results – Once a tooth receives a root canal, it tends to work for a lifetime. The results will also blend seamlessly with your smile’s looks.

Understanding the Cost of Root Canals

Now that you understand what root canals are and how they work, it’s natural to wonder how much they cost. It can depend on your unique circumstances, so you must schedule a consultation with Dr. Homsi, first. Once he examines your mouth, our team can better provide an accurate quote and walk you through the information for your approval.

Continue reading below to learn about the different factors that can impact your final invoice, and feel free to contact us for more information.

Factors That Can Affect Root Canal Cost  

You might not pay the same exact amount for your root canal procedure as someone else because the price depends on your individual needs. Several considerations must be taken into account, including:

  • The location of the tooth. Molars in the back of your mouth are more challenging to access and have more roots than ones in the front, increasing the rate.
  • Whether other services are required. You’ll likely require a dental crown to preserve your tooth after your procedure, which must be paid for.
  • The severity of your condition. Some extreme cases require that a specialist, like an endodontist, be brought in.

Is it Cheaper to Pull My Tooth?

If you’re concerned about your budget, you might wonder whether there are other more cost-effective ways to treat your troublesome tooth, like an extraction and replacement. Although the extraction itself might be less expensive initially, it’s important to remember that tooth loss has long-term effects. Your jaw begins to lose mass without a root to stimulate new bone growth each time you bite down and can eventually become too weak to support your teeth. Furthermore, you’re more vulnerable to dental drifting as remaining teeth shift out of alignment to fill in the gap, putting them at risk.

Preventing these problems requires replacing your extracted tooth with a dental implant or bridge, which adds additional costs to the procedure itself. Thankfully, root canals protect and preserve it so you can avoid unnecessary damage and pricey restorations.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Root Canal Treatment?

Many dental insurance policies cover anywhere from 50% to 80% of major procedures like root canals. However, there’s no guarantee because every plan is different so it’s a good idea to check what’s included in yours. Please let us know if you can’t find the information or require assistance with any paperwork. Our friendly office staff is familiar with many different providers and can help you maximize your coverage.

Other Options for Making Root Canal Treatment Affordable 

Root canals are necessary to preserve your oral health in circumstances that might otherwise require removing and replacing your injured or infected tooth. Our team understands that not everyone carries dental insurance, and we don’t want your budget to keep you from a smile-saving treatment. We’ve partnered with third-party financers CareCredit and Lending Club to make your dental work more affordable. If your application is approved, you can break down the total cost into more manageable monthly payments.

Root Canal FAQs

Are Root Canals Painful?

There is a lot of misinformation circulating out there about root canals, including that they are painful. That’s not the case. Not only is your mouth thoroughly numbed beforehand, but the latest techniques, advanced technology, and a gentle hand are used to eliminate the infection (which actually alleviates soreness, discomfort, and sensitivity). Our Concord dental team will even provide you with aftercare instructions to ensure you stay comfortable throughout the healing period. In short, we go the extra mile to ensure restoring the look, health, and function of your tooth isn’t painful.

Can Root Canals Be Prevented?

If you want to avoid ever needing a root canal, we have some good news: there are several preventive measures that go a long way when it comes to keeping your teeth happy and healthy. The first is committing to a solid at-home oral hygiene regimen, which should include brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash consistently. The second is visiting Dr. Homsi for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning every six months. The third is steering clear of bad habits, like over-indulging on sugar, using tobacco products, or not wearing a mouthguard during sports.

How Long Does it Take to Recover from a Root Canal?

Unless your job is physically demanding, you should be able to return to work the day after your root canal procedure. Make sure to continue to follow the aftercare instructions provided, including sticking to soft foods, eating on the opposite side of your mouth, and taking OTC pain medication as directed. Around the three-day mark, you should start to feel the symptoms subsiding. If that doesn’t happen, then give us a call.

What Happens if You Wait Too Long for a Root Canal?

Taking a few days to think about your treatment options, review the financial solutions available, and submit your PTO request is perfectly fine. However, you shouldn’t wait much longer than that. Remember, with each passing day, the infection has more time to progress. Eventually, there will come a point where your tooth cannot be saved, and we want to intervene with a root canal before that happens.

Note: If something is holding you back from scheduling your procedure, like you’re struggling with dental-related anxiety, don’t hesitate to let us know! From there, we can provide further insight, answer any questions you have, and find a solution that works for you.

Do Root Canals Make You Sick?

In the 1920s, Dr. Weston Price shared that it was better to extract the tooth since root canal treatment didn’t remove all of the bacteria. However, his research was poorly designed, and it has been disproven time and time again over the last several decades. What’s unfortunate is that people continue to spread this myth, resulting in patients not getting the restorative dental care they need. That’s why it’s so important to bring any concerns or questions you have to your dentist, not your friends or coworkers.