Root canal
A root canal removes infected pulp from inside a tooth, disinfects the canals, and seals them so the tooth stays in your mouth instead of coming out. It treats deep decay, cracks that reach the nerve, and abscesses.
Dr. James Whitfield, DMD has practiced for 9 years and is a member of the American Association of Endodontists. Most cases finish in 1 to 2 visits, and the ache patients arrive with typically resolves within 24 to 72 hours of treatment.
How it works
What to expect
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Exam and X-ray (30 minutes)
A digital X-ray confirms which tooth is involved and how far the infection reaches. When the schedule allows, treatment starts the same day.
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Treatment visit (60 to 90 minutes)
Dr. Whitfield confirms numbness twice before starting. The infected pulp comes out, the canals are cleaned, shaped, and sealed with gutta-percha. Molars with 3 or 4 canals sometimes need a second visit about a week later.
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Recovery (2 to 3 days)
Mild soreness is normal and responds to ibuprofen. Chew on the other side until the permanent restoration is in place.
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Crown placement (2 to 3 weeks later)
Back teeth take heavy bite force and usually need a crown (from $950) to prevent fracture. Front teeth can sometimes finish with a filling instead.
When a root canal is the right call
- An ache that lingers 30 seconds or more after hot or cold
- Pain when biting down on one specific tooth
- A darkened tooth or a pimple-like bump on the gum
- Deep decay or a crack that reaches the pulp on the X-ray
- Patients who want to keep the tooth; extraction (from $180) is the alternative
Facial swelling or fever needs same-day care. Call (512) 555-0142 and we will fit you in.
Cost
Pricing
From $850
Root canal from $850. A protective crown, when needed, is quoted separately from $950. We accept 8 insurance plans including Delta Dental, Cigna, and MetLife; claims filed the same day.
Common questions
Does a root canal hurt?
The visit feels similar to getting a large filling. Numbness is confirmed twice before any work starts, and soreness afterward runs 2 to 3 days.
How many visits will I need?
Front teeth usually finish in one visit of 60 to 90 minutes. Molars with 3 or 4 canals sometimes need a second visit about a week later.
Can I skip the crown afterward?
Front teeth can sometimes finish with a filling. Back teeth crack under bite force without a crown, so we seat one 2 to 3 weeks after treatment.
Should I get a root canal or pull the tooth?
Keeping the tooth avoids a gap, bone loss, and a replacement cost later. Extraction (from $180) plus an implant (from $3,200) costs more than a root canal and crown in most cases.
Can antibiotics fix it instead?
Antibiotics can calm an abscess but cannot reach the dead pulp inside the tooth. The infection returns until the canals are cleaned and sealed.
Get a painful tooth examined today
Call (512) 555-0142 for a same-day emergency exam from $95, or book online and pick a time.