A root canal is often an effective way of preserving a severely infected tooth. The root canal procedure involves removing the root of the infected tooth and sealing the canals of the tooth so that the infection doesn’t come back. When the procedure is performed correctly, it can often save the tooth which has a lot of desirable results for your overall oral health.

Are Root Canal’s Painful?

Root canals have a pretty bad reputation. They are often used to make parallels to things that are really undesirable. Don’t worry, here at Timothy Elloway DDS, Inc, we aren’t oblivious to how much most people don’t want to have a root canal procedure.

The truth of the matter is that there are a lot of variables that determine whether a root canal is going to be painful or not. Dr. Elloway has years of experience and works extremely hard to make sure that our patients are as comfortable as possible when a root canal is necessary.

Does a Root Canal Save My Entire Tooth?

The short answer here is no. Usually a root canal is only necessary when the infection of a tooth has spread deep into the tooth all the way to the root. For this reason, a large portion of the natural tooth has to be removed.

The goal of a root canal procedure is to save the structure of the natural tooth that is attached to your jaw bone, and to save as much of the natural tooth as possible. Once the root canal is finished, Dr. Elloway will fit the tooth with a crown to match the natural tooth as closely as possible.

How Long Does a Root Canal Take to Complete?

There are a lot of variables that need to be taken into account to answer this question. Two of the main things that affect how long a root canal will take include the complexity of the root system of the tooth and the experience of the dentist. Dr. Elloway is one of the most experienced dentists you will find in Chico, so you can be confident when you schedule with our office that you are getting both quality and experience.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Root Canals?

This is a more complex question that just yes or no. Different dental insurance companies have different procedures that are covered at different percentages. This is the reason that we always suggest checking with your dental insurance provider to see how your specific plan will cover the procedure. The alternative to a root canal is typically removing the tooth, and we always recommend preserving the tooth when possible. Keeping the tooth in place reduces bone loss, and helps the patient keep the proper function of their teeth and jaw.

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to give us a call or fill out our form and we will arrange a consultation with you as quickly as possible.