The symptoms and signs that you need a root canal can include:

• Severe toothache pain upon chewing or application of pressure
• Discoloration (darkening of the tooth)
• Swelling and tenderness in nearby gums
• Prolonged sensitivity or pain to hot or cold temperatures (after the heat or cold has been removed)

Dr. Lo will determine if root canal treatment is required for your tooth and discuss the pros and cons of proceeding during your consult appointment.

An infected root canal occurs when bacteria that live in the mouth invade the tooth pulp, which can result from:

• A crack or chip in the tooth
• A fractured tooth root
• Damage to the tooth pulp (with or without damage to the exterior of the tooth)
• Repeated dental procedures
• Tooth decay

Many people associate root canal treatment with pain. That is not the case anymore. Root canals relieve pain, not cause it. You may still feel a sense of pressure, but we provide local anesthetic (dental freezing) to fully numb the area before starting the procedure.

Antibiotics may be beneficial in reducing symptoms of a dental infection. Due to the limitations of oral antibiotic treatment, it will not penetrate into the pulp of the tooth at a significant concentration to resolve the source of the dental infection (infected pulp). This can only be done with removal of the tooth or removal of the pulp (root canal treatment). Antibiotics may help reduce symptoms associated with a dental infection for a limited time. The relief in symptoms may last days to weeks after finishing the full prescription. However, it is not a long-term solution.

Your first appointment is a consultation, which will take approximately 1 hour. If treatment is advised and you wish to proceed, a second appointment will be scheduled. Treatment appointments usually take 1.5 hours. Some cases can require a second treatment appointment. 

This will be your first visit to our office. A small field of view CBCT scan of the tooth/teeth in question will be taken. Dr. Lo will then do some clinical testing of the area (e.g., tapping on the teeth with an instrument, applying pressure to the gum area, checking how the teeth occlude together, and applying heat and/or cold). He will then discuss his findings and recommendations with you. If treatment is advised and you wish to proceed, we will schedule your next visit accordingly.

Most likely, your root canal will be completed using the Gentlewave. There are only a few circumstance that cause the Gentlewave to be unfavourable. Dr. Lo will assess this at your consultation.

We offer oral sedation (Ativan or Alprazolam) upon request should you feel you need medication to help reduce anxiety. If you feel this option may be right for you, please ask during your consultation visit. We do not offer nitrous, IV sedation, or general anesthesia.

You may be referred to our office to evaluate a tooth that has already had a root canal. One of the reasons a root canal can fail is if the tooth has not been thoroughly cleaned out and sealed properly. You may or may not experience symptoms on the tooth. However, signs of infection may be present on the x-ray taken. Dr. Lo will evaluate further and determine a treatment plan.

You can have something to drink immediately after, avoid anything hot as to not accidentally burn yourself since you’ll be frozen from the anesthetic. Avoid anything hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy as to not pull out or break off the temporary filling. Once the permanent filling is placed by your general dentist you can resume eating normally or unless otherwise stated.

After root canal treatment we recommend to avoid brushing the tooth for the first hour as to let the temporary filling set into place. You are then able to resume your regular at home hygiene routine.

The first few days after root canal treatment you may experience soreness, tenderness and sometimes some swelling. This discomfort may be minimized by following our post-op instructions which will be given to you following the treatment. Dr. Lo may also prescribe medications as needed. Everyone heals at their own rate. Symptoms generally decrease significantly after the first few days.

If Dr. Lo does not place your permanent filling, you will need to see your general dentist within 1-6 weeks after root canal treatment has been completed to have that placed. They may also discuss having a permanent crown placed to provide support to an endodontically treated tooth.

This is determined on a case-by-case basis depending on your tooth’s restorative needs and your referring dentist’s requests. If Dr. Lo is not placing the permanent filling, he will place a temporary filling after treatment which will cover the access made into the tooth.

A crown is highly recommended after root canal therapy to help support the remaining tooth structure which can become brittle after treatment due to the loss of blood supply (pulp). This is a discussion that we recommend you have with your general dentist as they will likely be the provider for this treatment.

Dr. Lo will make access directly through a permanent crown/bridge. Specialized equipment is used that is minimally invasive which will help maintain the integrity of your crown/bridge. However, there is still a possibility that you may require a new crown/bridge depending on the structural integrity/underlying tooth structure. If you have a temporary crown/bridge, we will remove it during the treatment and it will be placed back on the tooth after.